I went to the Musée Cluny on April 7th , which was the first Sunday of the month, so it was free, but luckily was no line at all.
I started with the exhibit at the Frigidarium or the Thermes de Cluny. The walls are behind the exhibits now, so I wasn’t able to see the ruins of the Gallo-Roman thermal baths discovered right in the heart of Paris. I have no regrets though because the exhibit“The Art of France at the time of Charles VII” was spectacular. It was fascinating to see how the paintings, objects of art, stained glass windows, tapestries have changed from static and expressionless to lively and meaningful over the course of 39 years, from 1422 to 1461.
Then I continued to the permanent collection where elaborate craftsmanship of the medieval time was presented in the best possible way. Intricate carvings of wooden, silver and ivory objects, brightly colored stained glass (you can get a close look at the examples of stained glass from the Sainte-Chapelle), opulent religious objects, original statuary from the Notre Dame Cathedral, etc. And stunning tapestries… not just The Lady and the Unicorn, which is just beyond any reasonable imagination. I don’t even know how much time I spent looking at these six stunning tapestries. Five of them depict the five senses – taste, hearing, sight, smell, and touch. The sixth displays the words "À mon seul désir" (to my only/sole desire). Once in your life you have to see this treasure… really…
Practical note: the earlier you come on a free Sunday of the month the better: when I exited the museum around 2pm, the line to enter was very long.