Housed since 1905 in the Rohan and Marsan wings of the Palais du Louvre, the Museum of Decorative Arts is a cultural gem dedicated to applied arts and design. Its permanent collection spans 6,000 m², with over 6,000 objects on display out of its 150,000 holdings. Visitors can explore furniture, ceramics, glassware, silverware, wallpapers, fashion, and graphic arts, tracing aesthetic and technical developments from past centuries to the present.

Founded in 1864 by the Union centrale des arts décoratifs to bridge art and industry following the great world fairs, the institution took residence in the Marsan Pavilion in 1905, promoting beauty in practicality. A major renovation from 1996 to 2006 modernized its paths and galleries, integrating fashion, textiles, and advertising.

The museum offers three chronological routes:

Middle Ages & Renaissance: reliquaries, woodwork, stained glass, and Gothic sculpture.

17th–18th centuries: opulent furnishings, rococo woodwork, Sèvres porcelain, lavish gilding.

19th century to today: Art Nouveau, Art Deco (the 1966 exhibition coined the term “Art Deco”), contemporary design (Eileen Gray, Charlotte Perriand), and a new post‑1940 design gallery opened in 2022 titled “The Mad History of Design”.

Temporary exhibitions cover fashion, design, graphics, and iconic archives—Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Dior, Christofle—bolstering the museum's reputation. The target audience includes art history enthusiasts, design fans, students, and educational families. The atmosphere is studious, elegant, and contemplative, set in a classical heritage tied to the Louvre.

Anecdote: In 1966, Yvonne Brunhammer organized “Les Années 25,” which popularized the term Art Deco. The Jewelry Gallery, opened in 2004, showcases precious pieces from the Middle Ages to today.

Practical info: open Tuesday to Sunday, 11 AM–6 PM, with Thursday evening openings until 9 PM. Closed Monday, Jan 1, May 1, and Dec 25; ticket office closes 15 min before. Access via metro lines 1,7,14; buses 21,27,39,48,68,69,72,81,95; Carrousel du Louvre parking. Tours and audioguides available in French and English. Photography without flash permitted.