Best Free Museums in Paris
Are you looking for the best free museums in Paris, France?
Paris is a city that’s home to some of the best museums in the world, especially when it comes to art, but unfortunately, many of these museums carry a steep admission fee.
While some of the most popular museums in Paris offer free admission for certain visitors, or free admission to everyone on specific days, you generally have to pay to visit them.
I’m going to talk about museums that are always free first, but keep reading to the end if you want to find out how you can visit some of the most popular museums like the Louvre and the Musee d’Orsay for free.
I’ve visited lots of free museums in Paris, not all of which are worth going out of your way for. (For example, unless you’re a huge fan of police history, I wouldn’t recommend visiting the Musée de la Préfecture de Police, even though it’s free… especially if you only have limited time in Paris.)
But if you want to know which free museums are worth it, read on for my top five picks!
Here are the best free museums in Paris that you can visit.
Petit Palais
Address: Avenue Winston Churchill, 75008 Paris
Museum Hours:
- Tuesday through Thursday from 10 AM — 6 PM
- Friday and Saturday from 10 AM – 8 PM
- Sunday from 10 AM — 6 PM
- Closed Monday
The Petit Palais is one of the best free art museums in Paris. It was built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle, along with the Grand Palais across the street (which unfortunately doesn’t have free admission.)
However, admission is always free at the Petit Palais. This museum houses an impressive art collection that is definitely worth seeing while in Paris. The museum also has a lovely garden and cafe.
The permanent collection is vast, spanning from antiquity through the early 20th century, but some of the most notable artists on display include Rembrandt, Rubens, Monet, Rodin, Cézanne, Modigliani, and others.
Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris
Address: 11 Avenue du Président Wilson, 75116 Paris
Museum Hours:
- Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM — 6 PM
- Closed Monday
Another one of the best free museums in Paris is the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris. Located in the contemporary Palais de Tokyo building close to the Eiffel Tower, this museum is all about modern art.
The Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris is not far from the Petit Palais, so if you’re in the mood for an art-filled afternoon, you can start there and then stroll along the Seine for twenty minutes until you reach this museum. It’s a logical place to continue your journey, with a collection of work from the 20th century.
Some of the most famous artists on display here include European artists like Matisse, Picasso, Delaunay, and Braque. If you enjoy modern art, you will definitely appreciate this museum.
Musée Carnavalet
Address: 23 Rue de Sévigné, 75003 Paris
Museum Hours:
- Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM — 6 PM
- Closed Monday
The Musée Carnavalet is a great free museum dedicated to the history of Paris from ancient times through the present day. I highly recommend this museum to anyone who loves history and specifically wants to learn more about the city of Paris and its history. It’s a really fascinating museum!
The museum is located in two adjoining historic mansions in Le Marais and is full of interesting exhibitions about Paris and its history. It’s a huge museum, and you can easily spend several hours here.
From prehistory through the present day and every era in between, you can learn about the city’s history. There are also many furnished rooms with period decorations you can explore, as well as art centered around Paris on display. The museum itself is also gorgeous, and there’s a nice cafe you can enjoy.
Maison de Victor Hugo
Address: 6 Place des Vosges, 75004 Paris
Museum Hours:
- Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM — 6 PM
- Closed Monday
Maison de Victor Hugo is another museum in Le Marais on the prestigious Place des Vosges. Located in the home where Victor Hugo lived for 16 years, this museum is dedicated to the life of the French writer.
This museum is just a five-minute walk from the Musée Carnavalet, so if you’re already in the area, it’s worth a visit to see Victor Hugo’s home. It’s a pretty small museum, and there’s a nice cafe there.
It’s also worth a visit if you’re a fan of Victor Hugo and want to see where he lived in Paris. The rooms are decorated with period furniture and you can learn a lot about this iconic author’s life.
Musée Cognacq-Jay
Address: 8 Rue Elzevir, 75003 Paris
Museum Hours:
- Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM — 6 PM
- Closed Monday
This is another free museum located in Le Marais. It’s literally just around the corner from the Musée Carnavalet so it makes for another good stop on a museum-hopping afternoon.
Located in an elegant historic mansion, this small museum houses the collection of wealthy Parisian couple Théodore-Ernest Cognacq and Marie-Louise Jay. They amassed an impressive and eclectic art collection in the early 20th century, which is primarily made up of 18th-century art.
Like the Maison de Victor Hugo, this museum is quite small so you don’t need to spend much time here. But if you’re already in the area, it’s worth popping inside to take a look.
Museums in Paris with Free Admission (Sometimes)
So now that I’ve talked about my favorite museums in Paris that are always free, let’s talk about the popular museums that are sometimes free with certain conditions.
If you’re under 18 years old, the good news is that most museums in Paris will be free for you! If you’re between the ages of 18 and 25 years old, you may qualify for free admission.
You’ll need to be a citizen or resident of an EU country — this means if you’re studying abroad in a European country and have a student visa, you’ll qualify. But if you’re not an EU citizen or resident, you may still be entitled to reduced admission at some museums if you’re 25 years old or younger.
For everyone else, you’ll probably be limited to one day a month if you want free admission — mostly, the first Sunday of each month, but occasionally other special days as well.
Tons of museums in Paris offer free admission on the first Sunday of the month. Just be sure to book your free ticket online well in advance, because the slots do run out for popular museums!
Free Admission Days for Paris Museums
Here’s a look at popular museums in Paris with free admission sometimes:
- The Louvre: Free admission at all times for anyone under 18 years old or anyone aged 18-25 years old who is a resident of the EU. Free for everyone on the first Friday of the month after 6 PM (except during the months of July in August) and on Bastille Day (July 14.)
- Musée d’Orsay: Free admission at all times for anyone under 18 years old or anyone aged 18-25 years old who is a resident of the EU. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of each month.
- Musée de Cluny: Free admission at all times for anyone under 18 years old or anyone aged 18-25 years old who is a resident of the EU. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of each month.
- Musée de l’Orangerie: Free admission at all times for anyone under 18 years old or anyone aged 18-25 years old who is a resident of the EU. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of each month.
- Musée Rodin: Free admission at all times for anyone under 18 years old or anyone aged 18-25 years old who is a resident of the EU. Free for everyone on the first Sunday of each month from October 1 through March 31. (Free first Sundays are not available from April through September.)
- Musée Picasso Paris: Free for everyone on the first Sunday of each month.
There’s one other way you can access lots of museums in Paris without having to pay for a ticket, and that’s with the Paris Museum Pass. Read on for some more information about this pass.
Free Admission with Paris Museum Pass
Okay, so admission isn’t really “free” because you have to buy the pass. But if know you want to visit a lot of museums in Paris, this might be your best bet and help you save money!
When you buy the Paris Museum Pass, you get access to more than 60 museums for one price.
All of the museums above (and so many more) are included with the Paris Museum Pass.
Here’s a list of some of the best museums and other sites you can visit with the Paris Museum Pass:
- The Louvre
- Musée d’Orsay
- Palace of Versailles
- Musée de Cluny
- Arc de Triomphe
- Sainte-Chapelle
- Musée de l’Orangerie
- Centre Pompidou
- Musée Rodin
- Panthéon
- Musée Picasso Paris
You can choose the duration of your pass (2 days, 4 days, or 6 days) depending on how much time you have in Paris. You’ll have unlimited access to all the museums for the duration you choose.
In order to make sure the Paris Museum Pass is worth it, you’ll need to do the math. Compare how many museums you plan to visit and how much it would cost to visit them all versus the cost of the pass.
If you plan to visit a lot of museums in Paris, it’s possible this pass will save you some money.
Best Free Museums in Paris
I hope you found this guide to the best free museums in Paris helpful!
If you don’t want to spend money on museums, the five always-free museums I highlighted are a great way to see lots of excellent art and learn about the history of Paris and its famous inhabitants.
You can also visit many of the most popular museums in Paris for free on the first Sunday of each month.
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