The quai Branly garden and the green wall

The museum stands above an 18,000 m² garden by Gilles Clément, a “jardin buissonnant” of grasses, reeds and trees that you walk through to reach the entrance. On the street side, botanist Patrick Blanc’s green wall covers about 800 m² of the facade on rue de l’Université. The garden is free and opens at 9:15.

Garden18,000 m², Gilles Clément

Green wallAbout 800 m², Patrick Blanc

HoursFrom 9:15 to 19:30, Thursday to 22:15

Ticket neededNo

WhereBetween the quay and the building; wall on rue de l’Université

Best lightEarly morning

Gilles Clément’s garden beneath the Musée du quai Branly

I cycle past this garden most mornings and I still slow down for it. Clément planted a thicket rather than a lawn: tall grasses, reeds, trees, and winding paths that hide the building until you are almost under it. The museum sits on pilotis above the planting, and a glass screen along the quay keeps the traffic noise out. It opens at 9:15, over an hour before the galleries, and it costs nothing, so it is the obvious place to wait for the doors on a bright day.

The green wall is on the other side of the building, along rue de l’Université. Patrick Blanc, the botanist who made vertical planting a Paris signature, covered about 800 m² of the street facade with living plants; it is at its densest in early summer and greyer in February. You see it best from the pavement opposite, and from the walk in from Alma-Marceau described on the how to get there page.

Inside the garden are the Café Jacques terrace and the garden-level exhibition gallery. The whole outdoor route is usable with a stroller or a wheelchair, if not perfectly smooth; see the accessibility page. Garden hours run a little longer than museum hours each day; the full table is on the opening hours page.

Insider tip

Come at 9:30, do a slow lap of the garden with the tower behind the trees, photograph the wall from rue de l’Université, and be first through security at 10:30.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the quai Branly garden free?

Yes. The garden is open to everyone from 9:15, without a ticket, and closes at 19:30 (22:15 on Thursdays). It is closed when the museum is, so not on Mondays; see the opening hours page.

Who designed the green wall?

Patrick Blanc, the French botanist, planted about 800 m² of the facade on rue de l’Université. Jean Nouvel designed the building and Gilles Clément the garden; the history page tells the story of the project.

Can I picnic in the garden?

The paths are for walking rather than sitting on the grass, and the planting is dense. The Café Jacques terrace is the place to sit; the café page has details.