Musée Quai Branly

Set on the banks of the Seine beneath the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, the Musée Quai Branly houses an incredible collection of indigenous art from civilizations outside of Europe. Split into four dedicated rooms, the museum showcases artwork and sculpture collected from the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Among the vast collection of over 45,000 pieces are Papuan carvings, Peruvian feather costumes, and even an Easter Island Rapa Nui head sculpture. The museum also serves as a center for research, and no other museum in the world puts such a focus on non-European cultures with so many visitors - over 1.2 million a year, in fact. The building itself is worthy of a portrait. Designed by Jean Nouvel and opened in 2006, the rich red exterior covered in luscious flora is a stark contrast to its surroundings and makes for an intriguing escape into other worlds, right in the heart of Paris.