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Last updated: 09 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Anna Brooke

There couldn’t be a more appropriate setting for Paris’ official museum of the Middle Ages than the Gothic townhouse – known as Hotel de Cluny. It was originally built by the Abbot of Cluny in 1330, and now stands as one of the oldest (former) private residences, and arguably the finest example of medieval civil architecture, in Paris.

Weapons, objets d’art, furnishings, stained-glass windows and manuscripts abound, but the star of the show is the celebrated late 15th-century La Dame a la Licorne (Lady and the Unicorn) tapestry cycle.

Interestingly, there are almost two museums here in one. The Hotel de Cluny is housed in the remains of a Roman thermal bathing complex. The baths, with 15m-high vaulted ceilings, have been restored and also now house the Pillar of the Nauti (Pillar of the Boatmen), the city’s oldest sculpture, dating back to 1349 AD.

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Price from: £4
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Take the metro to Cluny La Sorbonne, Saint-Michel or Odeon. There are car parks on the Rue de l’Ecole de Medecine, Rue Soufflot and Parc Saint-Michel (entrance on place Saint-Andre-des-Arts).

Before you go, download the free Cluny en poche (Cluny in your pocket) app for insights into medieval art and the Frigidarium (the cold room of the Gallo-Roman baths). Available in six languages.

When to do it

The museum is open all year-round, every day except Tuesdays. Entry is free on the first Sunday of every month, which attracts more visitors.

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Private Tour: Sainte Chapelle, Conciergerie & Cluny, through the Latin Quarter

Private Tour: Sainte Chapelle, Conciergerie & Cluny, through the Latin Quarter

Paris

Discover striking Gothic architecture, mediaeval artifacts and centuries of history on this private morning or afternoon Paris walking tour....

€299 | Rating 4.52 / 5 [46 ratings]

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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Hotel d’Aubusson

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.6 miles]

A grand, historic boutique hotel, set in a 17th-century St-Germain townhouse, offers both history and a brilliant, contemporary Left Bank location.

Official star rating:

Hotel Luxembourg Parc

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.7 miles]

This lovely, classic hotel puts you within walking distance of Paris’ major sights, perfect for first-time visitors.

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Hotel des Grandes Ecoles

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.7 miles]

This tranquil hotel has a gorgeous garden and delightful, old-fashioned charm, in the heart of Paris.

Official star rating:

Hotel Duo Paris

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[1.1 miles]

A designer boutique bolthole that’s perfectly positioned for the stylish, gay-friendly Marais district and Centre Pompidou.

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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Paris

Ile-de-France, France

Crammed with iconic buildings, world-class art and a culinary scene steeped in history, Paris is one of the world’s great capitals, overflowing with style, romance, and art de vivre. 

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The Pantheon of Paris

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.5 miles]

Originally an 18th-century church dedicated to Sainte Genevieve, now a grandiose mausoleum housing the tombs of France’s ‘great men and women’, including Voltaire, Hugo, and Marie Curie.

Best for ages: 18+ | £10

La Conciergerie

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.6 miles]

This vast Medieval palace was most famous as the ‘antechamber to the guillotine’ in the French Revolution. Three thousand prisoners were tried and convicted here, including France’s last queen Marie Antoinette.

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Paris has everything from luxury fashion and indie boutiques, to hip department stores, markets and quirky antiques bazaars.

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Louvre Museum

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[1.2 miles]

The world’s most visited museum, a treasure trove of art from around the world. Admire the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and many, many more…

Best for ages: 16+ | £15

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Sainte-Chapelle

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.5 miles]

Paris’ most exquisite Gothic monument was built by Louis IX in 1248 to house his collection of Passion relics, including Christ’s Crown of Thorns (now at Notre-Dame Cathedral). It has one of the most extensive 13th-century stained-glass collections anywhere in the world.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Natural History Museum

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[1.6 miles]

Founded in 1793 during the French Revolution, this impressive museum has four substantive galleries, with dinosaurs galore, all dedicated to preserving and educating about the natural world.

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Stohrer

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[1.6 miles]

The birthplace of the rum baba in the 18th century, the city’s oldest patisserie still wows with its gateaux (cake) today.

Best for ages: 4+ | Free

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Victor Hugo’s House

Paris, Ile-de-France, France[1.7 miles]

The apartment where famous French poet and novelist Victor Hugo lived for 16 years, now a museum about his life and works.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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