Paris boasts approximately 150 large and small museums, including 14 municipal and about 20 national museums, with the rest being private institutions. If you’re looking for a specific museum, you can select from an alphabetical list or a list by arrondissement.
History of Museums in Paris
Up until the end of the 19th century, Paris had only one museum: the Louvre, a national museum. Other artworks were stored in depots or places like the Hôtel de Ville. The Musée Carnavalet, dedicated to the history of Paris, was established in 1880 as the city’s first municipal museum.
For the 1900 World’s Fair, the Petit Palais was built to display the city’s art collection to the public, becoming the second municipal museum. After 1900, many art collectors bequeathed their collections to be displayed at the Petit Palais or in their own spaces. For example, Henri Cernuschi left his entire collection of Japanese and Chinese art to the city, including a building which became the Musée Cernuschi. The city acquired the former home of writer Victor Hugo in 1927 (Maison de Victor Hugo) and Ernest Cognacq’s collection of 18th-century art in 1929 (Musée Cognacq-Jay).
The city founded the Musée d’art Moderne national in 1947, later known as the Musée d’art moderne de la Ville de Paris. The number of municipal museums increased, with acquisitions like the Maison de Balzac in 1949, followed by the Musée de la Vie Romantique and the workshops and artworks of sculptors Bourdelle and Zadkine (Musée Bourdelle and Musée Zadkine). In 1985, the costume collection of the Musée Carnavalet was transferred to a separate fashion museum, the Musée Galliera.
Free Admission to Municipal Museums
Admission to the permanent collections of municipal museums (marked with an asterisk) is free for everyone, though you must pick up a free ticket at the counter. Exceptions include Les Catacombes de Paris, the Crypte Archéologique du parvis Notre-Dame, and the Musée Galliéra. For special exhibitions in a municipal museum, tickets must be purchased. Visit parismusees.paris.fr for a list of all 14 municipal museums.
Many national museums offer free admission on the first Sunday of each month. Note: This does not apply to the Louvre and the Palais de Versailles from April through September.
Museum Opening Hours
Always check the official museum websites for the most current opening hours as they can vary. Smaller museums may close for several weeks to set up new exhibitions. Most museums are closed on January 1st, May 1st, and December 25th. For details, see the list of weekly closing days and museums closed on holidays. More museums are now open one evening a week.
If you want to explore the collections of Parisian museums without long lines, or if you’re interested in visiting in the evening, over 20 Parisian museums are open until 9 or 10 PM on one or more weekdays, including for exhibitions. Some of these museums also offer dining options in or near the museum before you view the collection or exhibition. See the list (pdf)
Museum websites also provide all the information about entrance fees, accessibility for disabled visitors, and discounts for students and children. There is no senior discount in Paris. Ticket sales usually stop half an hour to forty-five minutes before closing time. Some exhibitions require reservations for a specific time. Some museums are temporarily closed for renovations.
Accessibility at Paris Museums
Museums accessible to disabled visitors will display one or more of these logos:
Wheelchair accessible – for mobility-impaired visitors
Hearing impaired friendly – for hearing-impaired visitors
Visually impaired adapted – for visually-impaired visitors
Museum Pass: Yes or No?
With the Paris Museum Pass, you can visit the permanent collections of over sixty museums and monuments in and around Paris for 2, 4, or 6 consecutive days. This often allows you to skip the queue. However, this does not apply to locations like the towers of Notre Dame, the Catacombs, Sainte-Chapelle, and Versailles.
The pass is priced at 42, 56, and 69 euros respectively, available at participating museums and the Paris Tourism Office locations. It can also be ordered online. The pass is activated on the first day of use.
Consider how many museums you can realistically visit in a few days… If you plan to visit a museum only once a day, the pass may not be cost-effective. However, if you plan to visit two or more museums per day, the Museum Pass can be a good value. Note: Not all museums accept the Museum Pass. There is no Museum Pass for children, as they already have free access to the museums.
Check here for a list of museums and monuments (also in English) that participate in the Museum Pass program.