Paris has to be one of the best places to visit in Europe.  The Eiffel Tower evokes romance and awe with the unique beauty of this tower from the Universal Exhibition.  The Louvre inspires  with all of its paintings and beautiful classical pieces.  Notre Dame exudes Parisian architecture at its finest and is revered by the French and foreigners alike.  While Versailles can overwhelm with its size, meticulous detail, and beautiful gardens, many places in Paris tell a story of French and Parisian history.

With all the Paris attractions on offer, one of my favourite Paris museums is the Rodin Museum which displays the sculptures and art of Auguste Rodin.  Opened in 1919, the Rodin Museum features a number of Rodin’s greatest works.  Known as a sculptor, Rodin discovered a love for sculpture at an early age and spent most of his life perfecting this art for which he has become so well known.

The Rodin Museum features a beautiful garden filled with his sculptures as well as a building which houses more sculptures, sketches, paintings, Rodin’s collections (Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet), and other memorabilia on the life of Rodin.  The building which houses the collections was once a residence of Rodin, the Hôtel Biron.  While the museum contains some sculptures, information on Rodin’s life, and paintings from his collections, many people focus on the garden and the statues on display.

His most famous statue, The Thinker, is displayed in the garden.  There are actually two sculptures of The Thinker – one in the gardens of the museum and one on his tomb.  However, many come to Paris to see his most famous piece of art.  While The Thinker is his most famous piece, other well known sculptures by Rodin include The Kiss and The Gates of Hell.

The Rodin Museum is a peaceful, inspirational journey through the life and art of Rodin.  The building and the garden are worth the visit.  For those that don’t like painting and traditional art, Rodin’s sculptures are pieces to amaze and inspire while enjoying a beautiful stroll through this fabulous museum, garden, and lake.  Even if you are not a fan of art, checking out Rodin’s works throughout the garden will inspire and awe those who don’t love art at all.

Getting to the museum is easy as it is a short walk from the Varenne Metro stop in Paris.  Even if art isn’t your thing, enjoy the outdoors with Rodin’s sculptures and admire art which seems to come to life.  Maybe seeing The Thinker will inspire creativity in us all.  Rodin made “thinking” a beautiful work of art.

If you’re Europe travel planning and would like to include a lot of art appreciation in your Paris sightseeing, Thomas has some suggestions in Paris 2010 for Art Lovers.  If you only have time for one museum or aren’t that into art, Amanda recommends the Musee d’Orsay.