Planning a trip to Paris and want to explore the city’s best museums? You’re in the right place !
In this article, you’ll discover ten of the Paris’ most fascinating and iconic museums—from grand art galleries filled with masterpieces to contemporary buildings, including science exhibitions. Whether you’re an art lover, fascinated by science, or just curious about world cultures, there’s a museum here for everyone. And of course, I saved my favorite one for the end.
Let’s dive in and find your favorite Parisian museum!
- Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie
- Musée des arts et métiers
- Jeu de Paume
- Musée Carnavalet
- Hôtel des invalides
- Musée d’Orsay
- L’Orangerie
- Centre Pompidou
- Musée du Louvre
- Musée du Petit Palais
Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie is Europe’s largest science museum. It offers interactive exhibits on technology, space, and the environment, definitely an interesting museum but I’d suggest allowing it half a day, as there is a lot to see !
Entrance Fee : Tickets for adults are 15€, and 12€ if you are under 26 years old.
Opening Hours : Everyday from 9:15am to 6pm, and until 7pm on Sundays. Closed on Mondays.
Location : 30 Avenue Corentin Cariou, 75019 Paris
Located in a former church, the Musée des Arts et Métiers is dedicated to technological innovation. It displays historic inventions, scientific instruments, and industrial machines, including Foucault’s pendulum.
Entrance Fee: Tickets are 12€ for adults. Entrance is free if you are under 26 years old.
Opening Hours : Everyday from 10am to 6pm, and until 9pm on Fridays. Closed on Mondays.
Location : 60 Rue Réaumur, 75003 Paris
Located in another corner of the Tuileries Gardens, the Jeu de Paume is an art center dedicated to photography and media art from the 19th to 21 centuries. Because the exhibitions rotates quite frequently, I’d suggest checking their website to check out what’s currently displayed.
Entrance Fee : Tickets are 13€ on-site or 12€ online for adults. For seniors and people under 26 years old, prices are 7,5€ during the week, 9,5€ on the weekend. Note that it is free on the last Tuesday on the month if you are under 26.
Opening Hours : Everyday from 11am to 7pm, and until 9pm on Tuesdays. Closed on Mondays.
Location : 1 Place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris
The Musée Carnavalet, located in the heart of the Marais district, and housed in two historic buildings (Hôtel Carnavalet and the Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau), is dedicated to the rich history of Paris. The museum showcases a chronological journey through the city’s past, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and artifacts vividly depicting the Parisian life across the centuries.
Entrance Fee : Entrance is free.
Opening Hours : Everyday from 10am to 6pm. Closed on Mondays.
Location : 23 Rue de Sévigné, 75003 Paris
The historic Hôtel des Invalides, houses the Army Museum, presenting France’s military history, as well as Napoleon’s tomb and a wide collection of weapons and uniforms.
Entrance Fee : Tickets are 17€ for adults, or 10€ for the late-night opening on the first Friday of each month. Entrance is free for European citizens under 26 years old.
Opening Hours : Everyday from 10am to 6pm. Late opening on the first Friday of each month until 10pm.
Location : 129 Rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris
Housed in a former monumental Beaux-Arts railway station, the Musée d’Orsay showcases European art collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces by artists like Monet, Van Gogh, and Degas.
I mean the monument itself is worth visiting, look at the picture below :
Entrance Fee : Tickets are 16€ for adults purchased online, otherwise 14€ at the museum. It’s free if you are an European citizen under 26 years old. Note also that entrance is free on the first Sunday of each month but you need to reserve your slot in advance.
Opening Hours : Everyday from 9:30am to 6pm, and until 9:45pm on Thursdays. Closed on Mondays.
Location : Esplanade Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, 75007 Paris
The Musée de l’Orangerie is located in a corner of the Tuileries Gardens, and showcases 8 of Monet’s water lilies huge murals. You will also find art by Cézanne, Matisse, and Picasso.
Entrance Fee : Tickets are 12,5€ for adults if bought online, 11€ at the museum. On Friday nights tickets is 8,5€ at the museum. Entrance is free for European citizens under 26 years old. Note also that entrance is free on the first Sunday of each month but you need to reserve your slot in advance.
Opening Hours : Everyday from 9am to 6pm, and until 9pm on Fridays. Closed on Tuesdays.
Location : Jardin des Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, 75001 Paris
The Centre Pompidou is an iconic building, an architectural structure in steel, concrete and glass with coloured tubes everywhere (see first picture below).
It houses Europe’s largest collection of modern and contemporary art, featuring works by Picasso, Duchamp, and Kandinsky.
The expositions are really interesting, sometimes fun or intriguing, sometimes deep and complex.
Entrance Fee : You can buy tickets for only a specific exhibition (around 15-17€), but I would recommend buying the whole day pass that includes all exhibitions for 18€ for adults or 15€ for European citizens under 26 years old.
Opening Hours : Everyday from 11am to 9pm, and until 11pm on Thursdays. Closed on Tuesdays.
Location : Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris
The world’s largest art museum, the Musée du Louvre, located in a former historic palace, houses huge art collections and iconic works such as the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
It’s definitely worth going more than once, there is just so much to see there : from the Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities to Napoleon III apartments, including the many French and European sculptures, you will no be bored a second !
Allow yourself at least half a day to visit Le Louvre.
Entrance Fee : Tickets are 22€ for adults. Entrance is free for European citizens under 26 years old. Note that it is free on the first Friday of the month after 6pm (except in July and August).
Opening Hours : Everyday from 9am to 6pm, and until 9pm on Wednesdays. Closed on Tuesdays.
Location : Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Petit Palais is a truly beautiful monument from 1900, showcasing a collection of fine arts including paintings, sculptures, and decorative arts from Greek antiquity to the early 20th century.
It’s not the biggest museum but it’s absolutely stunning, even the little patio is a work of art.
Entrance Fee: Permanent collections are free. Temporary exhibition fees vary, so you might want to check directly on their website.
Opening Hours : Everyday from 10am to 6pm, and until 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Closed on Mondays.
Location : Avenue Winston Churchill, 75008 Paris
Paris may be known for its grand boulevards and iconic landmarks, but its museums offer just as much : whether you’re discovering masterpieces at the Louvre, deciphering modern art at the Centre Pompidou, or admiring the stunning monument of Le Petit Palais, each museum has its charm.
That’s it for my recommendations on the best museums in Paris. We had a wonderful time learning and discovering all of them, and I’m sure you will too !
If you plan on visiting Paris any time soon, check out my article about the best parks in Paris and the best cookies to try in Paris.
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