The structure of surface layers of thin metal inverse opals has been studied first by the grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering technique. Contributions of the form factor and structure factor to the small-angle diffraction pattern have been separated using a numerical model of the scattering process. The complementary use of the small-angle X-ray scattering and grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering techniques has provided independent information about the bulk and surface properties of the samples and allowed a type of defect in the investigated structures to be determined. The measurement results have been verified by atomic force microscopy.