MuseumChick | Danee Gilmartin

This is especially for my friend, Harley, who is traveling to Paris for her first time. I wish I could fit in her suitcase with little Darcy in tow (since Paris is super dog-friendly) but I’ve been eating too much cheese and French macarons lately.

Millions of visitors come from all over the world to see Paris’ extensive museums and beautiful monuments (the Louvre gets over 8 million visitors a year)! In the year I lived there I barely got to skim the surface of all the great large and small museums to visit. To skip the lines of all these visitors and too save a lot money and time you NEED a Paris Museum Pass. Trust me, it’s really worth it.

These are my top five favorite museums in Paris that are sure to make even the art-averse into art history buff wanna-bes.

1. The Louvre (at the risk of sounding very unoriginal- the Louvre is my favorite)

You can spend a day, a week or a year here, and you will never be bored in the museum of museums, The Louvre. Believe me, I tested this the year I lived there.

Originally a fortress, it was reincarnated as a museum in 1793. Their collection just keeps growing with works from Greek and Roman antiquities, French sculpture, and the Italian Renaissance to Napoleon III’s lavish apartments and more.

Its courtyard contains a glass pyramid designed by the Chinese-American architect, I.M. Pei.

Make a plan and download a map on their site to get the most out of the museum before your visit.

Location: 99 Rue de Rivoli

Metro: Palais-Royal, Musée du Louvre

Hours: Mon, Thur, Sat, Sun 9am to 6pm, Wed, Fri 9am to 9:45pm Closed Tues.

2. Musee d’Orsay

The d’Orsay Museum is housed in an interesting edifice which was at one time a palace, then a hotel, converted into a train station and finally into what it is today. As museums in Paris go, this one is relatively new but the depth of its extensive collection covers the period from the mid-nineteenth century to World War I.

Be wowed by the works of Gauguin, Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Seurat and others for a pre- and post-Impressionist surplus at the d’Orsay Museum.

If you love Parisian scenery, the don’t forget a camera for some of the best views of Paris that can be had from the museum’s upper floor.

Location: 1 Rue de Bellechasse

Metro: Palais-Royal, Musée du Louvre

Hours: Tues- Sun 9am-6pm, Thurs until 9:45pm Closed Monday

3. The Musee National d’Art Moderne/Centre Pompidou

The Centre Pompidou was constructed between 1971- 1977 and subsequently was named after the then-serving president of France. It is well-known for its novel architectural design, and includes a vast library, an art cinema and is considered to have one of the most avant-garde modern art collections in the world.

The Musee National d’Art Moderne offers visiting and permanent collections of obscure artworks, including the masters of Cubism and Modigliani. If you’re a fan of modern art, then the five-minute walk on the right bank from Notre Dame positions the perfect element of outings for you.

Location:  Place Georges Pompidou, 4th Arrondissement

Metro: Rambuteau, Hôtel de Ville, Les Halles

Hours: Daily Mon, Wed – Sun 11am to 9pm Closed Tues

4. Musée Jacquemart-André

Just steps from the Champs Elysées, this Parisian museum was once a private mansion in the 8th Arrondissement and visitors will be transported back to another time of Paris. The Musée Jacquemart-André still retains the sensation of being in a private home rather than a museum. French antiques, precious tapestries and draperies adorn the intricate gold and white woodwork.

Walk through collections of French, Italian and Dutch paintings with notable works by such artists as Botticelli, Van Dyck, and Rembrandt.

Children are more than welcome, and are handed a special activity book in which “Filou the Mouse” gives them their own personalized tour.

Location: 158, Blvd. Haussmann.

Metro: Saint-Augustin, Miromesnil or Saint-Philippe du Roul

Hours: daily, 10am to 6pm

5. La Gaité Lyrique

As the newest museum member of Paris’ museum community since December 2010, la Gaité Lyrique is dedicated entirely to the digital arts and modern music. Housed in a legendary 1862 theatre that can claim patrons such as Victor Hugo, it was transformed after eight years of careful redevelopment.

Whether you adore the digital influence or not, it’s one Paris museum that gives neon art a world-class showplace. The museum is an alluring maze, where any room walked into can go from high-tech exhibition galleries filled with selected artwork from festivals to 3-D installations, to “soundscapes,” and even cinemas.

Experience that abundance of wow-factor touches at la Gaité Lyrique, such as quotes that run along the floor in bright LED lights or eye-popping neon walls.

Location: 3 bis Rue Papin

Metro: Réaumur – Sébastopol

Hours: Tue-Sat 2pm to 8pm, Sun 2pm to 6pm, Closed Mon

Moving back to NYC, what I'm most excited about is finally being in one spot long enough to get a puppy. I will be meeting him/her in the beginning of September and then bringing him/her home just in time for my birthday in the beginning of October.

But first I must do some prep work; how do I live in and explore NYC with a dog?  I'm sad to think I will not be able to bring my new puppy to my favorite museums but I'm on the search for interesting places and cultural spots to visit with the pup and blog about later.

Here are some places in NYC I will be visiting with the new pup and you can expect blogs about in the future.

10 things I can do in NYC with a dog:

1. Find a lookalike portrait at the William Secord Gallery- This is the only gallery I've found that is dog friendly! Not only that, but they even offer dogs a welcoming biscuit. This gallery specializing in 19th century dog and animal paintings is located at 52 East 76th Street.

2. Show solemnity at the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial- Since this memorial is outdoors in Riverside Park at 83^rd Street, dogs are allowed to pay their respects to the victims of war.

3. Don't Chase the Birds at the Riverside Park Bird Sanctuary- Prominent ornithologist, John James Audubon once owned this land and lived just north of the now Riverside Park Bird Sanctuary.

4. See the city on a horse and carriage ride at Central Park- they allow dogs to jump in the seat too. Or, I'll have to find my little pup a boyfriend/girlfriend for this romantic ride.

5. Find out who is buried in Grant's Tomb- at Riverside Drive and West 122th Street.

6. Join a Zuckerman Travel and Leisure Walking Tours- Although I won't be a tourist, I still like doing walking tours. I can always learn something new, even about my own city. This one is not only dog friendly but is even lead by a Golden Retriever named Tawny.

7. Release pent up energy (due to living in a NYC apartment) at one of the many dog runs- My favorite are the Union Square Park dog run and Washington Square Park which has separate small/large dog runs. Also, these parks usually have artists or dancers entertaining the crowd!

8. Pondering with the Eleanor Roosevelt Monument- Artist Penelope Jencks constructed this monument out of bronze and stone. Strolling around Riverside (dog friendly) Park at 72^nd Street you will come across Mrs. Roosevelt sitting on a boulder, looking as though she is in deep though. Some interesting facts about this monument: It is the first public statue of a president’s wife in the US and the second public statue of an American woman in NYC.

9. Strut the cat dogwalk at Pet Fashion Week- This year the show is on Aug. 21-22. Since my little one will only be about 2 months old, I will have to skip this year's, but next year will be checking out 2011's hottest collars.

10. Remember France at the Joan of Arc Monument- This bronze statue is sculpted by Anna Vaughn Hyatt. She stands at Riverside Park and 93rd Street. The artist's aim was to depict Joan of Arc "as spiritual rather than warlike."

*All images courtesy of Metro Dogs, the best dog walking and sitting service in the NY Metro Area (owned by my great friends Adam and Michelle Cox).

©2010 Danee Gilmartin All rights reserved