Explore many cultures, world history at one of Paris’s finest museums.

By Hetty Bishop

PARIS – The Musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris, also known as the Branly Museum, features art from all around the world.

Le Musée du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris.

Just a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower, it’s an easy add-on to most itineraries. So, while you are checking Paris’s tall, steel, iconic landmark off your bucket list, think about a visit a block away to discover the rich art the Branly has to offer.

Relatively new to the Parisian museum scene, as it was founded just nine years ago, the Branly has quickly made a name for itself. Traveling exhibits mean fresh material to keep even locals coming back. Additionally, the self-guided nature of the museum allows for a unique experience with each visit.

A free map locates the museum’s four primary sections: Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. Choose your own course and observe the roughly 370,000-piece collection spanning from 10,000 B.C. to the 20th century.

After you’ve explored the museum’s expansive collection, be sure to check out whichever traveling exhibit is available. Recently, the Branly presented, “Primitive Picasso,” an exhibition exploring Picasso’s infatuation with and links to non-Western art, tribal art.

The narrative opened with a chronological exploration of Picasso’s relationship with non-Western art, most of it African, spanning from 1900 to 1974. The years cover when the artist first moved to Paris until his death.

The exhibition drew on letters, photos, reports from friends, as well as several physical pieces belonging to Picasso himself in order to theorize how his infatuation with these “primitive” artifacts are manifest in his work.

A timeline guided guests through the years of Picasso’s journey with non-Western art, and once guests reached the “1974” mark, the series of white walls ended and opened into a massive black room. Here, Picasso’s art flooded the floor. Perhaps the exhibit waited to show so much of his work until the end to permit guests to discern for themselves how “primitive” art did in fact influence the master painter and sculptor.

Closing out a four-month visit, the exhibition just closed, but you can count on another provocative exhibit to have arrived in time for your visit.

The Branly is located at 37 Quai Branly. It is closed on Mondays. Hours are 11 am to 7 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, and 11 am to 9 pm each Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Entrance fees vary, but top out at 13 euros for a full price adult admission.