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BY JAY RAMKI

Musée Rodin, housed in Hôtel Biron, is located at 77 Rue de Varenne in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France. The museum is directly across the street from les Invalides, home to the tomb of Napoleon. Musée Rodin has on display thousands of pieces of the venerable 19th century artist Auguste Rodin’s sculptures, drawings, and artworks from his personal collection (including pieces by Van Gogh, Renoir, and Monet). As Rodin is often referred to as the father of modern sculpture, his works are considered amongst the most important of the late 19th and early 20th century. Rodin’s sculptures, in numerous mediums including bronze, terra cotta, and marble, are displayed throughout 17 rooms and salons of the mansion.

Hôtel Biron began life as a private mansion built for the “nouveaux riche” Parisian wigmaker, Abraham Peyrenc, designed by architect Jean Aubert in 1729 and was completed in 1731. After Peyrenc’s death, the mansion passed to various colorful owners but ended as property of the French government. In 1916 the government agreed to establish a museum at Hôtel Biron to honor Rodin. Rodin agreed, as a stipulation of the government establishing Musée Rodin, to donate all of his private collections, the entirety of his own works, including sculptures, drawings, casting molds, personal and professional archives, and all proprietary rights to same, as well as his residence and its contents in Meudon. Sadly, Rodin died in 1917 and did not live to see the opening of Musée Rodin in 1919.

While Rodin maintained his primary residence at Villa des Brillants in Meudon and most of his works were created at Muedon, he rented the ground floor at Hôtel Biron in 1908 and lived at the hotel periodically until his death in 1917. Great care has been taken to leave in place many of the furnishings and antiques used by Rodin and some are available to visitors. One may even sit upon a sofa or a chair in which Rodin himself sat.

The mansion contains some of the most compelling and sensual sculptures in existence: The Kiss, Eternal Spring, The Hand of God, the Age of Bronze, Danaid, Thought, and Fugit Amor, to name only a very few. The Hôtel Biron boasts beautiful, lush gardens, containing some of Rodin’s most celebrated sculptures, including Le Pensuer (the Thinker) and Portes de l'Enfer (The Gates of Hell). The gardens may be toured alone or in combination with the museum. Entrance to the gardens is one euro. The cost to visit the museum and gardens is 5 Euros, free if under 18. This ease of accessibility to the art, sculptures, gardens and furnishings lends great charm and appeal to Musée Rodin and contributes to it being one of the most visited museums in Paris.

Musée Rodin
Location: 77 Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris
Telephone: 33 (0) 1 44 18 61 10
Metro: Varenne (line 13), RER: Invalides (Line C), Bus: Bus: 69, 82, 87, 92
Hours: Every day except Mondays
Summer Opening Hours (April to September):
Museum and Boutique: 9.30 a.m. to 5.45 p.m.
Hôtel Biron at 5h45 p.m.
Garden closes at 6.45 p.m.
Last entry at 5.15 p.m.

Winter Opening Hours (October to March):
Museum and Boutique: 9.30 a.m. to 4.45 p.m.
Hôtel Biron at 4h45 p.m.
Garden closes at 5 p.m.
Last entry at 4.15 p.m.
Entrance Fees: Gardens Only: 1 Euro
Museum & Gardens: 5 Euros
Under 18: Free