Fodor's Expert Review Palais Galliera, Musée de la Mode

The city's Museum of Fashion occupies a suitably fashionable mansion—the 19th-century residence of Marie Brignole-Sale, Duchess of Galliera. Inside, the exhibition spaces, now on two floors, focus on costume and clothing design (a recent retrospective, for instance, honored the visionary Coco Chanel). Covering key moments in fashion history and showcasing iconic French designers, the museum's collection includes 200,000 articles of clothing and accessories that run the gamut from basic streetwear to haute couture. Galleries at the garden level focus on fashion history from the 18th century to the present via pieces from the permanent collection. Details on shows are available on the museum website. Don't miss the lovely 19th-century garden that encircles the palace, a favorite spot for neighborhood Parisians to take a coffee and a book.