The Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac is the Paris museum devoted to the arts and cultures of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. It sits on the Left Bank of the Seine, a short walk from the Eiffel Tower, behind a glass wall and a garden, with one of its outer walls covered in living plants. Inside, the quai Branly holds a very large collection of masks, sculptures, textiles, musical instruments and everyday objects, displayed in a dim, winding gallery that feels very different from a classic museum.
Why visit the Musée du quai Branly
The museum opened in 2006 in a building designed by Jean Nouvel. Its collections came largely from earlier Paris museums of ethnography and non-European art. Rather than separate rooms, the main gallery is one long, gently sloping space divided into areas by continent, with darker lighting to protect fragile objects. It is a good choice for anyone who has already seen the European art of the Louvre and Orsay and wants something completely different, and it is an easy add-on to an Eiffel Tower visit.
Labels are generally in French and English, and the museum offers resources such as audio guides and family trails; check what is available on the day at the entrance desk.
The museum is also part of an ongoing public debate in France about how objects collected during the colonial era should be displayed and, in some cases, returned. Some labels and exhibitions address this directly.
Getting to the quai Branly by metro and RER
Several stations are within walking distance:
- Iéna on metro line 9, on the Right Bank. Cross the Pont d'Iéna toward the Eiffel Tower, then walk east along the river, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Alma-Marceau on line 9, also on the Right Bank, across the Pont de l'Alma, about 10 minutes.
- Pont de l'Alma on RER line C, on the Left Bank, which is the closest station to the museum itself.
If you are combining the visit with the Eiffel Tower, simply walk east along Quai Branly from the foot of the tower.
Quai Branly tickets and opening hours
Admission to the permanent collection is paid, with separate or combined tickets for temporary exhibitions. As at many national museums in France, visitors under 18 and EU residents under 26 often get in free; check the conditions. The museum is closed on Mondays and on some public holidays, and it has had a late opening on certain evenings. For current prices, hours and exhibitions, use the official website, quaibranly.fr. Buying online in advance saves time at weekends and during school holidays.
Best time to visit and how long to allow
Weekday mornings are the calmest, while weekend afternoons can be busy, especially when a popular temporary exhibition is on. Plan two to three hours for the main gallery and an exhibition, or about 90 minutes if you are moving quickly. The garden is worth a slow walk too, with paths, small ponds and tall grasses between the building and the street.
Highlights at the Musée du quai Branly
The plant wall
On the outside of the administrative building along the quay, the botanist Patrick Blanc created a vertical garden covering the facade. It is free to see from the street.
The main gallery
Look out for monumental Oceanian sculptures, African masks and statues, textiles from Asia, and objects from Indigenous cultures of the Americas. The display cases set into the walls of the gallery, visible as coloured boxes from outside, hold some of the most striking pieces.
The spiral ramp
A long white ramp leads up to the main gallery, with projected text flowing along its floor. It sets the tone for the visit.
The rooftop restaurant
Les Ombres, on the roof, has views of the Eiffel Tower. Booking is recommended.
Nearby on the same metro stop
- Eiffel Tower: a few minutes' walk west along the river.
- Palais de Tokyo and Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris: two museums of modern and contemporary art across the river near Iéna.
- Trocadéro: the terraces facing the Eiffel Tower, a short walk from Iéna.
- Seine river boats: several cruise operators leave from the quays near the Pont de l'Alma.
For more around the station, open the Musée du quai Branly on Around the Metro, or browse other stops on the Paris metro map.