Picasso Museum
The collection of the Picasso Museum in Paris presents more than 5000 works of art. It is the only one in the world to display the entire works of the Spaniard. You can see there paintings, sculptures, prints, prints, and sketches. The exhibitions also include photographs, illustrated books, films and documents related to the life of the brilliant artist.
Pablo Picasso was born in 1881 in Malaga, Spain. He was famous for his graphics, collage, and paintings. Picasso is one of the creators of the Cubism movement. His works had different periods and styles, including surrealism. They had a great impact on Art in the twentieth century. Today the Museum is in a building, created in 1656 by Jean Bowler. It was originally a hotel called Salé. Afterward, the building underwent a renovation and today it stores the huge collection of Picasso’s works.
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What to See There?
Paintings
You can see nearly 300 paintings by Picasso at the museum. Among them are the famous Self Portrait, Celestine, Matador, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon, Still-Life with Chair Caning, Musicians.
Sculptures
You will see about 250 three-dimensional works of art that represent the most complete collection of his sculptures. They include wooden and bronze sculptures, cubic structures, wireframe models, and plaster busts. You can see such wonderful pieces, right in this section of the museum. There are masterpieces like “Woman in the Garden”, “Bull’s Head”, “The Man with the Sheep”. Undoubtedly, you will find them as the most recognizable works of Picasso in the museum.
Prints and Engravings
Picasso used the paper in various ways. He not only painted on it, but also glued it, and tore it apart. Hereby, he achieved unique works of art. In the museum, you will see over 1300 pieces, which are something between sculptures and paintings. He created these works with a pencil, charcoal, ink, pastel, and watercolor. You can see how Picasso portrayed scenes from his youth and later years in them. His works are famous with the use of allegorical sketches.
Photographic and Writing Archives
The museum has photographic archives with over 17,000 works showing Picasso’s experimental interest in photography. The written archives consist of more than 100,000 documents. They are from various Picasso homes, where he used to live. The archives contain texts, personal documents, books, exhibition catalogs, and manuscripts.
Library
It has about 11,000 publications. All of them are from donations, made by many people and organizations in the last 30 years. The collection also includes a hundred books, illustrated by Pablo Picasso.
Shops at the Picasso Museum
A boutique bookstore – there you will find many gifts, a rich assortment of postcards, rare publications, and notebooks. You can see also many items inspired by Picasso’s creative work – cubist vases, stylized pigeons, African masks, mandolins, and sketches. You can buy a complete bibliography on Picasso’s life and work, as well as literature on contemporary art. The store is not accessible to people with reduced mobility.
The shop at Hotel Salle offers office and artistic supplies, textile and ceramic goods, and souvenirs. You will also find guides, catalogs, and monographs. The shop provides educational products for children that allow them to use proper shapes and colors, stimulating them to create and desire. Counter sales are available for people with reduced mobility.
What do you need to know before visiting the Pablo Picasso Museum in Paris?
- You can purchase a ticket online in advance. That way you will not wait in lines.
- Visit the museum early in the morning.
- Avoid Tuesday as a day to visit. It is the busiest day of the week.
- Check when the last entry in the museum is. Many visitors are confused about their ticket hours, which do not always correspond to the actual opening hours.
- Check the working hours of the garden in front of the museum, as it may be not open on the day of your visit.
- You may come across not very friendly staff, do not take it personally.
- You will pass a security check at the entrance. It is not advisable to carry large bags, suitcases or pushchairs.
Ticket Types
- Regular ticket
- Museum entrance + audio guide
- Picasso Pass – free, unlimited access to the museum for one year. Available in three variants: for youths up to 26 years old, single and double pass.
- Free entrance – persons under 18 years; young people between the ages of 18 and 26, EU citizens; persons with disabilities; holders of the Paris Museum Pass; journalists
- Every first Sunday of the month is free
Tour with Calder-Picasso guide
The tour takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. People with disabilities pay only for a guide, but not for entrance to the museum.
Audio guide
Audio guide is available in French, English, Spanish, German and Chinese.
Discounts
- For groups – discounts for groups over 30 people; valid for one year from the date of purchase; gives access to the entire exhibition area, and allows direct access without waiting in queues.
- For students and students – lower ticket prices + possibility to organize a special guided tour. Booking required.
Accessibility
The museum is accessible to visitors with disabilities. They enter free of charge with one accompanying person when submitting the necessary documents.
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