Musée National Picasso-Paris — Attraction in Paris

I am studying my Master’s in Paris and I came here with a friend. For context, I am from Britain but hold a dual-nationality (French) as my mother is French. Unfortunately I am not fluent in the language but I am learning. First things first, I sat down to wait for my friend. The two staff next to me scanning tickets started laughing and making jokes in a British accent, mocking the way some British people speak which I thought was rude. Next, I went to leave my seat as I didn’t want to hear it so I went to get a ticket and I asked in French/introduced in French if she speaks English. I showed her my French ID card as it is free for EU nationals under 26. She said in a disgusted tone ‘you’re French?’ And I said yes I am half, and she rudely goes ‘well that is surprising considering you don’t speak the language.’ I was rather taken aback and surprised at this blunt comment where she continued to just stare at me. While I know it is surprising, it is frankly not appropriate for her in a customer service setting to say this to my face? I don’t know if that’s normal behaviour but I’m not sure why she decided to share her opinion so rudely to me. So I go back to the two who were mocking British accent to go enter and they completely blanked me, didn’t speak to me and just pointed at me to the entrance. Overall, it just soured the experience.

I’m so surprised at how I was treated here so I won’t be returning. As a foreigner being made to feel unwelcome is a feeling I wouldn’t wish on anyone. God forbid they travel to...

This museum had the greatest collection of Picasso's work I have seen. It also does an excellent job of outlining Picasso's development as an artist. That was my impression when I visited the museum for the first time 25 years ago.

In March 2023, I attempted to visit the museum again. I was stopped by museum staff at the gate. Ironically, they told me that yes, the museum was open, although if I chose to enter, I will not be able to see any of the Picasso's art rooms!

This happened during a month of strikes and protests against the French government's pension reform. Knowing that, I did check beforehand the museum website for a possible closure announcement, and there was none. Just in case, I dialed the museum number and received a recorded message with the museum's business hours; there was no hint at a museum closure - it seemed business as usual.

When I was stopped at the gate by museum staff, a lady and a male guard, I shared with them my dissatisfaction from the lack of preliminary closure announcement. The lady instantly blamed me for not calling multiple times. "You must have called many times," she said, "until a real person answered."

As I was leaving, other visitors came to the gate and were turned back, too.

In my opinion, the Picasso museum staff can choose to strike if they want, but they should notify the public in advance. Anything else is disrespect to the museum visitors, to the museum worker's profession, and - yes! - to Pablo...

Dégoûtant !Dégoûtant !Dégoûtant !

Ma pire expérience de voyage en Europe s'est produite en France !

Je suis un touriste de Singapour et je suis actuellement professeur à l'Université nationale de Singapour. À 15h20. le 27 octobre 2023, après m'être enregistré, je me suis rendu au vestiaire du niveau -1 pour ranger mon sac à main. Les membres du personnel de la réception (deux dames) m'ont d'abord dit que mon sac (pour la photo, voir ci-dessous) était trop petit pour être déposé car ils n'acceptaient que les gros sacs. Ensuite, ils m'ont demandé s'il contenait des objets de valeur, et j'ai répondu non. Finalement, ils ont dit clairement en anglais : « Nous n’accepterons pas votre sac ! » Une minute plus tard, assis sur le banc juste en face du vestiaire attendant mon ami dans les toilettes, j'ai remarqué que d'autres visiteurs entraient et déposaient leurs sacs, dont certains étaient beaucoup plus petits que les miens, sans aucune interrogation ni explication. (apparemment pas à cause du manque d'espace de stockage) Ensuite, j'ai vérifié la brochure du musée sur le stockage des bagages, elle dit que seules les grandes valises ne peuvent pas être acceptées. Ensuite, lorsque j'ai demandé au bureau d'information au niveau 0, la dame n'a donné aucune explication non plus sur l'absence de service (là, j'ai pris la deuxième photo, voir ci-dessous).

**Les autorités du musée peuvent visionner les images de vidéosurveillance pour vérifier l'authenticité de mes déclarations ci-dessus.

Dire qu’un musée national financé par l’État devrait employer un personnel tel qu’il pratiquerait un traitement de faveur scandaleux en 2023 ! Vous ne vous trompez pas ; c'est à Paris en 2023 ! Un musée d’art qui abrite des peintures représentant l’attrait esthétique et les valeurs les plus élevées au monde contraste totalement avec le personnel prévenu du vestiaire qui a abusé de tous les droits qu’il a le droit de fournir ou de NE PAS fournir le service simplement sur la base de son jugement personnel.

(J'ai également transmis ce message au Ministère de la Culture, au Comité Régional du Tourisme Paris-Île-de-France et à tous les sites touristiques populaires pour alerter les futurs visiteurs.) Disgusting!Disgusting!Disgusting!

My worst travel experience in Europe happened in France!

I’m a tourist from Singapore and currently employed as professor at National University of Singapore. At 3:20 P.M. on October 27th, 2023, having checked in, I went to the cloakroom on Level -1 to store my handbag. The staff members at the reception (two ladies) first told me that my bag (for picture, see below) was too small to be deposited because they only accepted large bags. Then they asked me whether there were valuables in it, and I said no. Finally, they said clearly in English, “We won’t accept your bag!” One minute later, sitting on the bench just right opposite the cloakroom waiting for my friend in the toilet, I noticed other visitors coming in and depositing their bags, some of which were much smaller than mine, without any questioning and explanation. (apparently not due to lack of storage space) Then I checked the museum’s pamphlet about luggage storage, it says that only large suitcases may not be accepted. Afterwards, when I asked the information desk on Level 0, the lady offered no explanation for the no service either (there I took the second picture, see below).

**The museum authorities may play back the CCTV footage to verify the authenticity of my above statements.

To think that a state-funded national museum should employ such staff as to practice outrageous preferential treatment in 2023! You’re not mistaken; it’s in Paris in 2023! An art museum which houses paintings representing the highest aesthetic appeal and values in the world stands in total contrast to the prejudiced staff at the cloakroom who abused every right they’re entitled to deliver or NOT deliver the service merely based on their...