# Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris > The Fondation Louis Vuitton is a contemporary art museum in the Bois de Boulogne, opened in 2014 in a Frank Gehry building that looks like a ship under glass sails. Beneath 3,584 curved glass panels sits a white 'iceberg' holding eleven galleries, where headline exhibitions range from the Impressionists to Basquiat and Rothko. Multi-level rooftop terraces look over the woods and the towers of La Défense. Next door is the Jardin d'Acclimatation for children. Entry is ticketed, best booked ahead for a set time. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/paris/fondation-louis-vuitton - City: [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris), France - YesGo score: 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 45 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Timed ticket, book ahead - Hours: By day, usually closed Tuesday - Galleries: 11 rooms and rooftop terraces - Opened: 2014 - Duration: ≈ 1.5–2 hours - Location: Bois de Boulogne, metro Les Sablons - Coordinates: 48.87667, 2.26333 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **2014** — the museum opened (source: English Wikipedia) - **3,584** — glass panels in the 'sails' (source: English Wikipedia) - **11** — galleries in the building (source: English Wikipedia) - **1.4 m** — visitors in 2017 (source: English Wikipedia) ## 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. > **Getting in** Tickets are sold for set times, and popular shows sell out early, so book on the official website. The museum is usually closed on Tuesdays. A dedicated shuttle runs for a small fee from Place de l'Étoile by the Arc de Triomphe, and your ticket may also cover the neighbouring Jardin d'Acclimatation. Check what exhibition is on, as it sets both the price and the appeal. ## 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](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/arc-de-triomphe) is about 10 minutes by shuttle. After the museum, walk in the woods or head back to the centre by metro. ## How to get there 1. Metro line 1 to **Les Sablons**, a 10–15-minute walk through the Jardin d'Acclimatation. 2. The foundation shuttle from **Place Charles-de-Gaulle – Étoile** (Avenue de Friedland). 3. Bus 73 to the Les Sablons stop. 4. The entrance is on Avenue du Mahatma Gandhi. ## 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](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/champs-elysees), linked directly by the shuttle and metro line 1. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Book a timed ticket - [ ] Check what's on - [ ] Go up to the terraces - [ ] Walk past Eliasson's prisms - [ ] Photograph the building with the cascade ## Places in Paris: compare and choose Places in Paris rated by YesGo. - [The Louvre](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/louvre) — YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h 30 min · Timed ticket, online - [Musée d'Orsay](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/musee-dorsay) — YesGo score 52/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h 30 min · Timed ticket, online - [Musée de l'Orangerie](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/musee-de-lorangerie) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Ticketed, free under 18 - [Musée de Cluny](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/musee-de-cluny) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Ticketed, free under 18 - [Musée Rodin](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/musee-rodin) — YesGo score 37/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Museum and garden ticket, free under 18 - [Fondation Louis Vuitton](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/fondation-louis-vuitton) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Timed ticket, book ahead - [Parc de la Villette](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/parc-de-la-villette) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Park free, museums ticketed - [Giverny](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/giverny) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Ticket for the house and gardens ## Don't mix it up The Fondation Louis Vuitton is an art museum in the Bois de Boulogne; the Louis Vuitton boutique on the Champs-Élysées is the fashion house's shop. ## Tips - Timed tickets. - Closed Tuesdays. - Don't miss the terraces. - Jardin d'Acclimatation next door. ## Questions ### How much is entry to the Fondation Louis Vuitton? It depends on the exhibition; timed tickets are on the official website. ### Who designed the building? Frank Gehry; the museum opened in 2014. ### How long does a visit take? About an hour and a half to two hours. ### Is it good with children? Yes, and the Jardin d'Acclimatation children's park is next door. ### How do I get to the Fondation Louis Vuitton? By metro line 1 to Les Sablons or the shuttle from Place de l'Étoile. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Prices, hours, the closing day and shuttle times weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Fondation Louis Vuitton - Foundation official website, fondationlouisvuitton.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.