My Top Five Tips for Visiting La Galerie Dior

Dior, ce génie léger propre à son temps dont le nom magique comporte Dieu et or. – Jean Cocteau

I visited La Galerie Dior for the first time last spring, and it was magical – truly one of most beautiful museums I have ever seen.

The exhibit is curated from the brand archives. It tells the story Christian Dior, his founding of the House of Dior, and his brief 10-year period at the helm before dying unexpectedly in 1957. The exhibit then provides a chronological history of the head designers that followed, which include Yves Saint Laurent (1957-1960), Marc Bohan (1960-1989), Gianfranco Ferrè (1989-1997), John Galliano (1997-2011), Raf Simons (2012-2015), and Maria Grazia Chiuri (2016-today). This particular portion of the exhibit was so interesting to me. I worked in fashion in the 80s and was familiar with the design aesthetic of these individuals. It ends with an ethereal constellation of the most magnificent gowns ever created.

If you go, here are a few tips to help enhance your experience:

Purchase tickets online in advance and arrive early. The lines can be long. Ticket holders are allowed to enter based in 15-minute intervals.

Tickets are non-refundable. Each ticket reserved online is valid only for the date and time indicated. Tickets purchased online must be printed in advance or presented on your cell phone at the admission point.

The least crowded time to visit is mid-week between 1:00 and 3:00 PM. This bit of information comes directly from the hostess, explaining the French don’t skip lunch and tend to linger afterward. Allow yourself enough time to spend several minutes in the Atelier, where the production of certain products are made. During my visit, two women were crafting the iconic lady bag.

Do not bring a suitcase or large bag. There’s a coat check for small items, but suitcases and large bags strictly prohibited.  

Skip the café. Unless you are absolutely famished and in a hurry, I recommend skipping the cafe. There are some wonderful establishments in the neighborhood – including Savy, which I’ve written about here.

Bonne visite – profitez vous!