Musée Rodin

Auguste Rodin lived and worked in the Hôtel Biron, an 18th-century mansion on the Left Bank of Paris, and he gave his sculptures, drawings and personal collection to the French state on condition that the building become a museum devoted to his work. The Musée Rodin opened there in 1919, two years after his death.

Inside, the rooms trace Rodin's career from early studies to marble pieces such as The Kiss. A room is given to Camille Claudel, his student and companion, whose works include The Waltz and The Mature Age. Rodin's own collection is also displayed, including antiquities and Van Gogh's portrait of Père Tanguy.

The sculpture garden is as much a draw as the house. The Thinker, The Gates of Hell, The Burghers of Calais and the monument to Balzac stand among the rose beds and lawns. Most visitors spend two hours or so here, and the garden alone makes it a rewarding stop for anyone with an interest in sculpture.