A visit to the Palais Galliera (10 avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, 75016) has been on my list for awhile now. It was closed for renovations for the last 3-years and just re-opened its doors.
This museum of fashion has close to 70,000 pieces from the 18th century to the present day. I am particularly intrigued by the museum's extensive undergarments collection with 2,500 items of lingerie, underwear and corsetry. But it is not all about clothes at the Palais Galleria: the museum also has photographs, prints and drawings that document the history of fashion as well as the business of this industry.
Given the fragile nature of many of these items, the museum does not have any permanent exhibits; instead it has temporary ones. I was fortunate to see the Alaïa exhibition. I would love to see the next exhibition starting March 1 called "Coming into Fashion". It is a collection of photography by many leading fashion photographers from the famous Condé Nast publishing house.
The museum is just across the street from the Palais de Tokyo (Contemporary Art Museum) and Musée d'Art Moderne (Modern Art Museum of Paris), so it would easy to visit all three museums in an afternoon. If you need a break, I recommend the Le Café du Musée d'Art Moderne for a light snack, or even better take the time and have a drink at the swanky Monsieur Bleu (at the southwest corner of the Palais de Tokyo). From either spot you are sure to gain some amazing views of the Eiffel Tower.
