A short walk towards the rear of the butte, on Rue Cortot is the small but fascinating Museum of Montmartre. The museum is housed in a 17th century house, where Renoir once had a modest studio, and produced some of his most famous paintings. The lower floor of the museum captures the history and artistic legacy of the area in rooms of old photos, paintings and drawings. The museum’s upper floors contain exhibits relating to the artists who occupied the house at one time or another. The museum is usually uncrowded and can be seen in less than an hour. Visiting the museum is a bit like looking through a particularly well-stocked attic.
Another museum that is worth a visit - but perhaps only if you are a big admirer of the surrealist artist Dali’s often disturbing work - is the Espace Salvador Dali. This small museum tucked away on a street on the front of the Place du Tertre, has a permanent exhibition of more than 300 paintings, drawings and sculptures by Dali, including his famous lithograph of Don Quixote. The exhibits are housed in a large subterranean room, and strangely lit, so the effect is a little bit odd. There is also a gift shop selling original works if you want to spend some serious money on art.