An art critic’s guide to Paris, from the Louvre to Dali

To some, Paris is the City of Light. To others, it’s the City of Love. But to art lovers, it’s simply the city of art — and there’s so much to see that it’s hard to know where to start. As the Minnesota Star Tribune’s visual art critic and arts reporter, here’s what caught my eye when I was in Paris — and what I suggest doing when you go next.

Time: 6-8 hours.

Cost: 22 euros (about $23).

What is it? The Louvre is one of the most famous art museums in the world. Built as a military fortress in the 13th century, it transformed into a residence for the royal family, and became a museum in 1793. Grab a coffee and stand in the longest line ever, even if you have a ticket — it’s worth the wait.

What to see: The Egyptian wing is one of the largest in the world, with more than 50,000 objects. Don’t miss the well preserved mummy of Pacheri from the Ptolemaic period (305-30 B.C.), wrapped entirely in strips of linen. “In the Department of Oriental Antiques, stand between two giant lamassu, mythological creatures from the 8th century B.C. that are referenced in the poem the Epic of Gilgamesh. Author Elif Shafak’s latest novel, “There Are Rivers in the Sky,” centers around the 19th-century excavations of these statues. From there, hop over to the Denon Wing and check out the French Crown Jewels in Gallery d’Appolon, where a crowd gathers around the glistening crown of Louis XV, covered in diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires. The 11 paintings in the gallery tell the story of the Sun and Apollo, with works by nine French artists, including Eugène Delacroix and Charles Louis Muller. If you can stand the crowds, try to take a selfie with the Mona Lisa, who now has her own room.

Time: 4-5 hours.

Cost: 11-16 euros ($11-$17).

What is it? Musée d’Orsay is housed in a former railway station built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900. Take an elevator straight to the top and see the giant clock, which was designed for the train station. Gaze through the transparent frame and see the city framed in various ways, then pose for a selfie with it.

What to see: Take a stroll along the River Seine, taking in the history of Paris before getting in line at the Orsay.

Musée d’Orsay boasts incredible 19th-century paintings such as Edouard Manet’s controversial nude “Olympia,” Auguste Clésinger’s famous marble sculpture “Woman Bitten by a Serpent,” countless Van Goghs, many works by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec and other artists of the Moulin Rouge era, as well as special exhibitions.

Time: 2-3 hours.

Cost: 11-14 euros ($11-$15).

What is it? Before you spend hours waiting to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower, make a stop at Quai Branly, which features Indigenous and non-Western art. It’s located in one of the most scenic old parts of Paris, filled with winding cobblestone streets and cafes where employees reluctantly serve you, the tourist, one more buttery soft croissant. (You can try to order in French, but be prepared to get a snarky response in English.)

What to see: This is the only museum I found in Paris that speaks so directly and honestly about the devastating impact of colonialism on Indigenous culture and art. Entire collections explore the Aztec society before and after Spanish colonialization, including paintings of the caste systems put in place by Europeans. (These paintings were also on view last year at Mia.) Another section features art from French Caribbean colonies, such as Haiti, which gained independence from France in 1804. Masks from African countries, artifacts from voodoo ceremonies, objects from Inuit tribes, window frames and ceramic artifacts from Iran, and masks from Sri Lanka used in exorcisms are some of the many objects to explore.

Time: 1-2 hours.

Cost: 11-16 euros ($11-$17).

What is it? The largest private collection of art by the Spanish Surrealist master Salvador Dalí lives in the heart of the Montmartre district.

What to see: Journey to Montmartre, made famous by Toulouse-Lautrec’s chronicling of its nightlife. This museum is off another heavy tourist area filled with artists from all over the world practicing plein air painting and selling their goods directly to you (some even do caricatures). As you make your way to the museum, the smell of sweet perfume or heavy cologne, depending on whom you’re passing, will collide with vendors cooking fresh crepes.

Dalí was famously obsessed with time, and at this museum there are various melting clocks throughout the galleries, hanging from rods or hangers or draped over a sculpture of a tree. Don’t miss Dalí’s Tarot watercolors, a giant thumb sculpture, and a sculpture of Venus with drawers installed in her body. All the works feed back into the artist’s fascination with the subconscious.

Climb atop the highest point in Paris at Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart overlooks the entire city, making it a key spot for breathtaking photos. Built in the 19th century and designed by Paul Abadie with Romanesque and Byzantine inspirations, the basilica also has the largest bell in France, measuring almost 10 feet in diameter and weighing over 40,000 pounds. The line is outrageous but entrance is free, and it can be fun to eavesdrop on conversations, guessing which language is being spoken. I heard French, Turkish and Spanish.

Keep your eyes peeled for street art. While roaming Montmartre, take in the pixelated video game mosaics by the artist Invader (Franck Slama), a larger-than-life mural of Toulouse-Lautrec, or the famous windmill at Le Moulin de la Galette, a hangout for Van Gogh and other artists of the era that lives on as a restaurant.

See gravestones of famous artists at Montmartre Cemetery. If you’re feeling morbid, visit the graves of artists like Edgar Degas, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Jean Bauchet (proprietor of the Moulin Rouge) and more.

Time-travel at the Moulin Rouge Cabaret. It’s not exactly the same 1889 nightclub that Toulouse-Lautrec painted, but the location and stage remain intact. Walk into history with this overpriced yet very fun experience (try the 11 p.m. show without dinner to save money). At the birthplace of can-can and cabaret, this two-hour show is worth staying up late for.