A short walk from the hotel, this often-overlooked museum brings together Gallo-Roman remains and treasures of the Middle Ages in a 15th-century townhouse. Its centrepiece, The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry series, is one of the most mysterious masterpieces of medieval art.
The museum at a glance
The museum occupies the residence of the abbots of Cluny, built at the end of the 15th century, and its tour includes the 2nd-century Gallo-Roman baths and their frigidarium. Completely redesigned, it reopened in 2022.
Don't miss
The Lady and the Unicorn, a set of six 15th-century tapestries, hangs in a dimly lit circular room. The frigidarium is one of the best-preserved Roman bath halls in northern Europe, and the heads of the Kings of Judah, defaced during the Revolution, were found during excavations. The medieval garden, free to enter, draws on the plants and symbolism of the Middle Ages.
Visiting tips
Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the main collection. It is very quiet compared with the big Paris museums, and late morning is the ideal time to go.
Close by
The Sorbonne, the historic heart of the Latin Quarter, is just a few metres away. The Luxembourg Gardens are a few minutes' walk, and Boulevard Saint-Michel is lined with bookshops and student cafés.
