The Museum of Decorative Arts

Originally created to preserve the arts whose aim is "beauty in utility", the Decorative Arts include both the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Rue de Rivoli (collections of art objects, design, fashion and textiles, advertising and graphics) and the Musée Nissim de Camondo in Rue de Monceau.

A chronological visit 

The Musée des Arts Décoratifs reflects traditional crafts, the evolution of styles, technical innovation and the creativity of artists working to embellish everyday life. It is still the only museum that can pay tribute to all the illustrious names that have forged the history of French taste: Boulle, Sèvres, Aubusson, Christofle, Lalique, Guimard, Mallet Stevens, Le Corbusier, Perriand, Starck... With a surface area of more than 6,000m2 and 6,000 exhibits, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs is one of the largest decorative arts museums in the world, a 5-minute walk from the Brighton Hotel. In a chronological presentation from the Middle Ages to the present day, all styles are represented: from Gothic to Louis XVI, from Directoire to Art Nouveau, from Art Deco to modern design.

The visit passes through 11 "period rooms" inspiring visitors' imaginations and inviting them to relive the works in their context. Among them are the private apartment of Jeanne Lanvin by Armand-Albert Rateau, one of the museum's masterpieces.

The toy gallery, the Jean Dubuffet gallery and the jewels gallery are all excellent entry points to collections that are dazzling in their diversity.

The textile, fashion and graphic design collections are only displayed as part of temporary exhibitions.

The jewellery gallery

This gallery presents a dreamlike presentation of the history of jewellery, from the Middle Ages to the present day. From medieval religious jewellery to Art Nouveau jewellery by Fouquet or Lalique, Art Deco jewellery by artists such as Calder and Braque, not forgetting jewellery from the great fashion and jewellery houses, each piece is beautifully presented. Finally, to see how to differentiate between all types of jewellery, an entire wall is devoted to jewellery techniques and materials.