Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris

About the Fondation Louis Vuitton

The Fondation Louis Vuitton is an art museum and cultural centre created by the LVMH group. It opened on 20 October 2014 on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, beside the Jardin d'Acclimatation, in the 16th arrondissement. It quickly became one of the most visited museums in Paris, with more than 1.4 million visitors in 2017.

The building was designed by the celebrated architect Frank Gehry. LVMH chief Bernard Arnault proposed the project to him in 2001, and Gehry, after walking the garden, drew inspiration from the glass structures of the Grand Palais and the 1893 Palmarium. Under the agreement, the building will pass to the City of Paris after 55 years.

What to see

• The glass 'sails' — 3,584 curved panels over the building.
• Major exhibitions — contemporary art and 20th-century classics.
• The foundation's collection — Basquiat, Koons, Gilbert & George.
• Inside the Horizon — Eliasson's 43 glowing yellow prisms.
• Rooftop terraces — views of the woods, La Défense and the Eiffel Tower.
• The water cascade — at the foot of the building.

Gehry's architecture

Gehry had to stay within the footprint and volume of a bowling alley that once stood here, and anything higher had to be glass. So came his image: a white 'iceberg' of fibre-reinforced concrete holding the galleries, wrapped in twelve huge glass sails as if filled by the wind. The sails are made of 3,584 panels, each curved differently.

The building was designed in 3D software developed for aircraft: more than 400 people worked on one shared digital model, and robots moulded the façade panels. At its base water cascades down steps, reflecting the building like a ship. Above the entrance is a large steel LV logo, also drawn by Gehry.

Exhibitions and the collection

Across eleven galleries the foundation shows its collection and major temporary exhibitions that become the art events of the year in Paris, from the collections of Russian patrons to Rothko, Basquiat, Warhol, Monet and Matisse. The foundation's collection includes works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, Jeff Koons and Gilbert & George.

Several installations were made specially for the building. The best known is Olafur Eliasson's Inside the Horizon: 43 yellow prisms lit from within along a walkway by the water. In the concert hall hangs Ellsworth Kelly's colourful 12-strip curtain.

Terraces and concerts

Be sure to go up to the rooftop terraces, set on several levels between the glass sails. From here you see the treetops of the Bois de Boulogne, the towers of the La Défense business district and the Eiffel Tower in the distance, one of the most unusual viewpoints in Paris.

The lower floor has a 350-seat hall hosting classical and contemporary concerts; the pianist Lang Lang played first, in 2014. There's also a restaurant and a bookshop.

The Bois de Boulogne and Jardin d'Acclimatation

The foundation stands on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, a vast park in western Paris with lakes, avenues and rowing boats. Right next door is the Jardin d'Acclimatation, a historic children's park with rides, a farm and gardens. With the foundation, it makes a good half-day with kids.

Neuilly-sur-Seine is nearby, and the Arc de Triomphe is about 10 minutes by shuttle. After the museum, walk in the woods or head back to the centre by metro.

Tips for your visit

Allow an hour and a half to two hours for the exhibition, the installations and the terraces. With children, add the Jardin d'Acclimatation; they'll love the rides.

Photograph the building from outside, by the water cascade and from the garden, to see all the sails. Inside, exhibition photography isn't always allowed, so check the signs.

The foundation combines easily with the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées, linked directly by the shuttle and metro line 1.

Places in Paris: compare and choose

Places in Paris rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

Nearby and on the way

47

Trocadéro

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40 min · Esplanade and gardens free · 40 min walk

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Arc de Triomphe

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1 h · Roof on a ticket · 41 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Arc de Triomphe

47

La Défense

Paris, France

1 h 40 min · Esplanade free, arch rooftop ticketed · 41 min walk

Yes — add to my route: La Défense

How to do it right

• Timed tickets.
• Closed Tuesdays.
• Don't miss the terraces.
• Jardin d'Acclimatation next door.

Questions