15 Best Museums in France (By a Local)

Updated September 3, 2025
Rachel Kapelke-Dale
Ask me a question in the comments (0)
View of the crowd wandering at the entrance to the Louvre Museum

Paris is known for its museums, but I’ll let you in on a secret: some of the best museums in France are actually outside of the capital city. 
I’ve lived in Paris, France for 10 years. Visiting museums is one of the best things to do in France. This country truly has so much to offer in terms of art, history, and culture, and the museums in France showcase these things so well. 
I’ve compiled this list to help you experience the best French museums. It includes museums from Northern France to Paris and beyond.

15 Museums in France
Versailles Palace
This luxurious and historic 17th-century home of French royalty will transport visitors back in time.
Versailles Palace contains numerous historic artifacts (photo:Sergii Figurnyi / Sh...

This Content is for Travel Lemming Passport members only.

Not a member? Get Your Passport Now
1st year free with code LEMMING

Rachel Kapelke-Dale is a travel writer and novelist originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and now a local of Paris. She moved to France in 2009. She has written about her early days in Paris in her memoir, Graduates in Wonderland, with Jessica Pan. She is the author of the novels The Ballerinas, The Ingenue, and The Fortune Seller, as well as co-host of the podcast We’ll Always Have Paris.