The Musée Rodin is one of the most charming museums in Paris. The sculptor Auguste Rodin worked in the elegant Hôtel Biron, an 18th-century mansion near Les Invalides, and left his works to the French state on condition that they be shown here. The result is a museum where sculpture lives between the house and a beautiful garden.
The garden
The sculpture garden is the highlight for many visitors. Among the roses and clipped trees stand:
- The Thinker, Rodin’s most famous figure, deep in thought on his pedestal.
- The Gates of Hell, inspired by Dante’s *Divine Comedy*, on which Rodin worked for decades.
- The Burghers of Calais, a moving group of six men offering their lives to save their town.
Inside the mansion
The rooms of the Hôtel Biron show Rodin’s marbles, bronzes and plasters, including The Kiss, one of the most famous love scenes in art. A room is dedicated to Camille Claudel, Rodin’s pupil, lover and a great sculptor in her own right – look for her bronze The Waltz.
Tips
- Go on a sunny day and save time for the garden; a café sits among the trees.
- The museum is closed on Mondays.
- Combine with Les Invalides and Napoleon’s tomb, right next door.
