Musée des Arts Décoratifs

Overview

Occupying the massive western wing of the Louvre Palace along the Rue de Rivoli, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (MAD) is France's premier museum celebrating the history of design, fashion, interior decoration, and the art of daily life.

Highlights

• The Period Rooms: Ten incredibly detailed, fully reconstructed rooms spanning from the Middle Ages to the flamboyant Art Deco geometry of the 1920s.
• The Fashion Collection: Rotating, highly stylized exhibitions drawing from an impossibly vast archive of historic couture and modern textiles.
• The Contemporary Galleries: Excellent displays tracing the evolution of highly functional modern seating, industrial design, and graphic advertising.

History

Founded in 1882 by a coalition of collectors and industrialists specifically who wanted to elevate the "useful arts" to the same prestigious status as fine arts. They gathered massive collections of ceramics, glass, furniture, and textiles to inspire French craftsmen to maintain global dominance in luxury manufacturing.

Visitor Tips

• Navigation: The museum spans 9 massive floors and is notoriously difficult to navigate. Decide specifically if you want to focus on historical furniture, modern design, or fashion before starting.
• Exhibitions: MAD is globally famous for hosting sensational, blockbuster temporary fashion exhibitions (like the Dior retrospective). Check what is running before visiting.
• Duration: 2–3 hours.