Why the Musée Rodin Is a Must-Visit in Paris

The Musée Rodin is an experience that combines art, history, and nature. Located in Paris’s 7th arrondissement, it celebrates the life and work of Auguste Rodin, one of France’s greatest sculptors.

Many visitors call it the highlight of their trip and one of the most beautiful places in the city. What makes it so special? Let’s take a closer look.

A Historic Setting: The Hôtel Biron

The museum is set in the Hôtel Biron, an 18th-century mansion with grand architecture and beautiful interiors. Rodin moved into this house in 1908, using it as a studio.

The mansion feels like going back in history. Its wood-paneled rooms, large windows, and decorative ceilings are an ideal backdrop for Rodin’s sculptures.

The galleries inside the house showcase some of his most famous works, including The Thinker, his most iconic piece, and The Kiss, a portrayal of love and passion (see below).

Other galleries feature Rodin’s smaller works, sketches, and plaster studies. Seeing these pieces together helps you understand how he developed his ideas and brought them to life.

The Hôtel Biron isn’t your typical museum, it’s intimate and personal, helping you connect with the art.

A Tranquil Escape

What sets the Musée Rodin apart is its atmosphere. Unlike larger museums in Paris, it’s not crowded or overwhelming. The balance between indoor galleries and outdoor spaces makes it a unique experience.

You can explore the art at your own pace, taking breaks in the gardens whenever you need to.

There’s a small café where you can grab a coffee or light lunch, tucked into a quiet corner of the garden, surrounded by greenery. Many visitors feel this adds to the museum’s charm.

The Gardens: A Masterpiece in Their Own Right

The museum’s gardens, covering three hectares, are as much a highlight as the sculptures themselves. The gardens are beautifully designed. Manicured lawns, flowerbeds, and shaded pathways create a relaxing atmosphere.

Benches are placed strategically so you can sit and admire the sculptures or just enjoy the peaceful setting. Many visitors spend hours here, soaking in the mix of art and nature.

The gardens are divided into distinct sections, and the Rose Garden is one of the most famous. It has beautifully maintained rose beds and is home to several iconic sculptures, including The Thinker (large bronze cast).

Another standout piece in the gardens is The Gates of Hell, a bronze work that depicts scenes from Dante’s Inferno. Many of Rodin’s other famous sculptures, like The Thinker and The Three Shades, were originally created as part of this massive work.

Another highlight is The Burghers of Calais, a powerful tribute to six men who sacrificed themselves to save their city during the Hundred Years’ War.

Key Pieces You Shouldn’t Miss

If you’re visiting for the first time, here are a few key pieces to look out for.

The Thinker

This iconic sculpture depicts a man lost in thought. It’s a deep reflection on human existence. Originally conceived as part of The Gates of Hell, The Thinker was meant to represent Dante himself, pondering the layers of his epic poem, The Divine Comedy.

If you look closely, you’ll see the incredible tension in his body. Every muscle is engaged, showing the weight of his thoughts.

The Kiss

The lovers depicted in this sculpture are Paolo and Francesca, characters from Dante’s Inferno. Their love was forbidden, and their embrace led to their downfall. Rodin’s fluid carving of their intertwined bodies emphasizes their connection, yet their lips never touch.

The Burghers of Calais

This masterpiece portrays six citizens of Calais who offered their lives to save their city during the Hundred Years’ War. Rodin broke away from traditional heroic depictions. Instead, he focused on their raw emotions – fear, despair, and bravery.

The Gates of Hell

Measuring over six meters tall, The Gates of Hell contains over 200 figures, each telling a story from Dante’s Inferno. It’s a piece you could study for hours. The Thinker sits at the top, surveying the chaos below. The Three Shades point downward, symbolizing the entrance to hell.

The gates were Rodin’s lifelong project, reflecting his obsession with movement, emotion, and the complexity of the human condition.

The Walking Man

Unlike most of Rodin’s works, this sculpture is incomplete as there’s no head or arms. Rodin focuses purely on the energy of the body. The rough surface and exaggerated muscles give the figure a raw, almost primal vitality – often interpreted as a tribute to human progress and resilience.

Eternal Springtime

Two figures, perfectly balanced in motion, seem lost in each other, their bodies blending in a graceful arch. The details of the intertwined limbs and the flowing curves of their forms evoke both tenderness and passion.

The title hints at love as a timeless force, forever renewing itself. This work is often compared to The Kiss for its emotional intensity.

Ugolin and His Children

Inspired by Dante’s Inferno, this dramatic sculpture tells the heartbreaking story of Ugolino, who was condemned to starve to death with his sons. Rodin captures the horror and despair in Ugolino’s twisted pose, his face locked in anguish.

This is perhaps one of Rodin’s most haunting pieces. Each figure’s body tells its own story of suffering.

The Hand of God

This sculpture explores the act of creation itself. A massive hand, seemingly emerging from rough stone, holds two intertwined figures, a man and a woman, who appear to be forming from the raw material.

The piece reflects Rodin’s fascination with the biblical idea of God as the ultimate creator, while also serving as a metaphor for the artist’s role in shaping life from stone.

The Three Shades

These three identical figures, huddled together with heads bowed, are some of the most enigmatic sculptures in Rodin’s work. They’re positioned atop The Gates of Hell, pointing downward to indicate the entrance to the underworld.

Each shade is a duplicate of the same form, but their arrangement creates a sense of unease. The piece reflects themes of fate and inevitability.

Monument to Balzac

This towering statue of French novelist Honoré de Balzac was controversial in its time. Instead of a literal likeness, Rodin chose to capture the essence of the writer.

Draped in a thick robe, Balzac stands with an imposing presence, his head tilted upward as if lost in thought. The rough, unfinished surface was criticized when it was first unveiled, but it’s now celebrated for its boldness.

She Who Was Once the Helmet-Maker’s Beautiful Wife

This sculpture explores themes of beauty and aging. It portrays an older woman, her body frail and hunched, yet her expression is serene and reflective. The contrast between her posture and the titleis a reminder of the passage of time and the dignity of aging.

The Age of Bronze

One of Rodin’s first major successes, this life-sized figure shocked viewers with its realism when it was first displayed. So lifelike was the sculpture that Rodin was accused of using a live model to cast it directly.

The figure shows a young man in a moment of reflection. The careful attention to detail in every muscle and vein marked Rodin’s arrival as a revolutionary artist.

The Cry

This emotionally charged sculpture is a small but powerful piece from The Gates of Hell. It portrays a figure in a moment of intense anguish, mouth open in a silent scream, with hands clutching the head in despair.

Though it’s a fragment, The Cry illustrates Rodin’s ability to convey the deepest human suffering with just a few details.

Final Tips

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To make the most of your visit, plan to spend at least two to three hours here. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday and is located near the Varenne metro station. Tickets are reasonably priced (14€), and there’s an option to buy a combined ticket that includes entry to the Musée d’Orsay.

77 Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris – website