Paris Museum Pass: Why You Should Buy It + List of Museums

Considering purchasing the Paris Museum Pass? Then you’ll want to read this blog post because we talk about it in detail.

With everything that the city of Paris has to offer, combined with an intensely rich cultural history, deciding what to do when in Paris can be an extremely daunting experience. 

Having to decide between many attractions can prove exceptionally difficult, not to mention expensive.

As with many other cities across the globe, Paris offers a museum pass that allows visitors to enjoy the city’s countless attractions while only paying one fee to purchase a pass. 

This article outlines what the Paris Museum Pass is, its benefits, and how to get the most out of it.

By reading this post, you will understand how the Paris Museum Pass works, what it includes, and how to use it. 

You will also be able to gauge – through reading this post – whether the Paris Museum Pass will be a good purchase for you and whether it will be worthwhile for your circumstances.

Click here to buy your Paris Museum Pass!

What Is The Paris Museum Pass?

The Paris Museum Pass is an excellent tool that gives visitors to the city an all-access pass to many of the city’s countless museums and landmarks. 

With the Paris Museum Pass, a single purchase will give you access to over fifty popular museums and landmarks across the Paris region, all for a single price.

Instead of purchasing individual admission tickets for every museum you want to visit, you can purchase a Paris Museum Pass that allows you to visit as many as you like. A Paris Museum Pass can be a major money saver for any visitor to Paris who enjoys museums.

With so many museums on offer in this vast, culture-rich city, it can be difficult to decide which ones to visit. The costs of museum admissions add up quickly and can become prohibitive the more of them you visit.

Visitors to Paris opt for the museum pass as it allows them access to museums and landmarks, all for one price. It also allows them to skip the ticket queues at most locations to make the most of their precious time in Paris.

Besides the major convenience of skipping ticket queues and saving significant amounts of time, the Paris Museum Pass can save you a good amount of money, provided you take full advantage of what the pass offers.

Museums Included In The Paris Museum Pass

There are over fifty museums included in the Paris Museum Pass, so you will need to research to determine which museums you most want to visit. You can then prioritize your favorites and plan your itinerary from there.

Of course, most of the major Parisian favorites are included in the pass. However, some well-known museums are not included, so you should check carefully to find out if any of your must-see locations are excluded from the pass.

Some of the main museums and landmarks included in the Paris Museum Pass are:

Arc De Triomphe – this iconic Parisian landmark is a must-see for any visitor to the city of lights. This enormous arch is adorned with intricate carvings that will keep you mesmerized for hours. Once you have admired the arch from ground level, be sure to climb up the stairs to enjoy the views on offer from the top of the arch.

The views from the top of the Arc De Triomphe are some of the best in Paris. From this incredible Parisian vantage point, you can enjoy a panorama of the entire Parisian skyline and a spectacular view of the iconic Champs-Élysées. Another benefit of climbing the Arc De Triomphe is the incredible view it offers of the Eiffel Tower.

Pompidou Centre – Opened in 1977, the Pompidou is the largest museum of modern art in Europe. Filled to the brim with intriguing art, the museum also boasts an outdoor space dubbed the Place Georges Pompidou. This vibrant area plays host to an array of musicians, artists, mimes, street artists, and jugglers.

Another attraction of the Pompidou Centre is the Stravinsky Fountain. This iconic sculpture was inspired by Stravinsky’s musical works and is located near the outdoor Cafés adjacent to the museum.

Musée D’Orsay – Another one of the iconic museums in the city of endless delights, the Musee D’Orsay plays host to a vast collection of impressionist works from the masters such as Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Renoir, and several more.

The museum building is also something to behold. Located in a retrofitted train station, architecture lovers will enjoy the space just as much as those there for the art.

The Louvre Museum – The Musée Du Louvre almost needs no introduction as it is one of the most famous museums in the world. This vast museum is host to the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci. This painting brings thousands of visitors from across the world every year.

Picasso Museum – The Picasso museum is the ultimate homage to Pablo Picasso, with over 5,000 of his works on display. Not only can you enjoy thousands of his paintings in the museum, but you can gain some insight into his life, work, and the inner workings of his incredibly creative mind.

Pantheon – This is another one of Paris’ iconic landmarks that marks a part of the city’s incredible history. The building was originally intended as a replacement for the derelict abbey of Sainte-Genevieve. As the French Revolution gained momentum, the Pantheon became a type of shrine to numerous French heroes.

Over the years, the Pantheon became home to several different activities until it turned into the museum we know it as today. The Pantheon is an architectural marvel that needs to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. Corinthian columns, enormous domes, and flying buttresses form part of the building’s incredible structure.

Versailles Palace – Despite requiring a 50-minute commute outside the city center, the palace of Versailles is absolutely well worth a visit. This opulent landmark requires a full day to fully appreciate it, so ensure you allocate sufficient time to enjoy it.

Sainte-Chapelle – Sainte Chapelle is one of the smaller landmarks in Paris but should not be underestimated. This hidden gem is a gorgeous church featuring more than 600 meters of stained glass. It is unlike any other church in the city.

Conciergerie – This ancient building on the banks of the Seine was the most notorious prison in the entire country between the 10^th and 14^th centuries. Today, this stunning historic site will give you a glimpse into the history of the French Revolution.

Please note that the above list is for your reference only and may not reflect recent modifications to the Paris Museum Pass. Make sure to double-check the museum list included with your pass for the most updated information.  

Here’s a list of museums and cultural attractions you can visit with the Paris Museum Pass:

• Château de Fontainebleau
• Musée De L’Armée (Army Museum)
• Tombeau de Napoléon 1er (Napoleon’s Tomb)
• Musée national d’Art modern (National Museum of Modern ARt)
• Musée national des Arts asiatiques – Guimet (Guimet National Museum of Asian Art)
• Les Arts décoratifs (Museum of Decorative Arts)
• Musée des Arts et métiers
• Musée de l’Assistance Publique, Hôpitaux de Paris
• Musée du quai Branly
• Chapelle expiatoire
• La Cinémathèque française
• Musée du Cinéma
• Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie
• Musée national Eugène Delacroix (Delacroix Museum)
• Musée des Égouts de Paris
• Musée de la Monnaie
• Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine
• Musée national des Monuments français
• Musée Gustave Moreau
• Musée national du Moyen Âge – Musée de Cluny (Cluny Museum)
• Cité de la Musique, Musée de la Musique
• Crypte archéologique de Notre-Dame (Archaeological Crypt of the Île de la Cité)
• Tours de Notre-Dame – currently closed
• Musée de l’Orangerie (Orangerie Museum)
• Musée de l’Ordre de la Libération
• Musée des Plans-reliefs
• Musée de la Poste
• Musée Rodin (Rodin Museum)
• Château de Vincennes

Many attractions haven’t been included. Some of the exclusions from the Paris Museum Pass are:

• The Grand Palais
• The Catacombs
• The Sacre Coeur Dome
• Montparnasse
• The Salvador Dali Museum
• The Eiffel Tower – it is included in the Paris Pass, though.

Benefits Included In The Paris Museum Pass

Naturally, the biggest benefit of the Paris Museum Pass is the access it gives you to over fifty historic sites across the Paris region. The more sightseeing you do using your Paris Museum Pass, the more money you save.

You Can Save Money 

By purchasing a single pass that gives you access to so many attractions, you can potentially save a great amount of money on museum tickets. If you happen to visit a museum that you don’t enjoy, you can leave without feeling the need to get your money’s worth.

You can simply move on to visiting a different attraction without worrying about the cost of the entry fee. This allows you to choose the amount of time you spend at any of the attractions without concern over the ticket price.

You Can Save Time 

Another major benefit of the Paris Museum Pass is the major potential for saving time. With a Paris Museum Pass, you will be able to skip the circuitous ticket lines outside most fantastic museums. While you will not be able to skip the security checks, there are almost always far shorter queues for the Paris Museum Pass holders.

You Get Access to Clean Bathrooms

Another benefit of the Paris Museum Pass that might seem a little strange to some – but extremely useful – is the access it gives you to clean bathrooms across the city. Because all museums have great bathroom facilities, you won’t have to struggle to find a bathroom while in the city if you own a Paris Museum Pass.

Remember that despite having access to many museums, you may not have admission to temporary exhibitions, special exhibits, events, and audiovisual experiences within the museums (only permanent collections).

You Get Access to Many Landmarks

The Paris Museum Pass grants you access to several activities you may not have considered. This is a great opportunity for any first-time visitors to Paris to try out some lesser-known Parisian museums and landmarks across the region.

Pros & Cons Of The Paris Museum Pass

There are many pros and cons to purchasing a Paris Museum Pass. While there is potential to save a significant amount of time and money while possessing one of these passes, you may find it not worthwhile.

If you are not the type of person who enjoys visiting numerous museums during one trip, the Paris Museum Pass may not be right for you. Paris offers countless other attractions and activities that might be far more appealing to some people than museum visits.

Paris has so much more on offer than its museums, with countless parks, cafes, restaurants, and interesting neighborhoods. Suppose you only plan to visit one or two museums during your time in the city. If this is the case for your trip, you will be better off simply paying full price for museum entry instead of the Museum Pass.

Suppose you are a major fan of museums and aim to enjoy as many of Paris’ landmarks and museums as possible during your stay in Paris. In that case, the Paris Museum Pass will be worthwhile to you. However, the time you have available in the city will play a role in how much you can get out of the pass.

If you’re only visiting for one or two days, you won’t have sufficient time to enjoy all that the Paris Museum Pass offers.

Types of Paris Museum Passes and 2022 Prices

The Paris Museum Pass is available only for adults since children under 18 years old and EU citizens under 26 years old don’t pay for entrance to public museums. Here are the 2022 prices:

2-Day Paris Museum Pass

• 2-day Adult Paris Museum Pass: €57

4-Day Paris Museum Pass

• 4-day Adult Paris Museum Pass: €73

6-Day Paris Museum Pass

• 6-day Adult Paris Museum Pass: €83

How Does It Work?

The Paris Museum Pass is available in three options – 2 days (48 hours) for €57, 4 days (96 hours) for €73, and 6 days (144 hours) for €83. To use the pass, simply present it at the checkpoint of the museum of your choice. This will activate the pass, and it will be valid for the stipulated number of hours from that point onwards.

Bear in mind that you will not be guaranteed entry if there is some sort of special access conditions. Since the rise of the COVID pandemic, many museums across the region have had to limit capacity. As a result, several museums require Paris Museum Pass holders to book a time slot for their visit, like Versailles, Conciergerie, Sainte-Chapelle, and Louvre.

Is The Paris Museum Pass Worth It?

The Paris Museum Pass can certainly be worth its price if you plan to use it to its full potential. The time saved on queues alone will make the pass worthwhile to most individuals. To establish whether the pass is worthwhile for you, you must consider how long you will be in the city and how many museums you plan to visit.

The best approach would be to add up the total of all the activities you would like to do during your time in Paris and compare this to the price of the appropriate pass. This simple calculation will indicate how much money you will be able to save and help you see if it will be worthwhile.

For example, if you purchased the 2-day Pass costing €57, and you wanted to visit the following attractions over those two days:

• Louvre Museum at €17
• Arc de Triomphe at €13
• Notre Dame Archeological Crypt at €34
• D’Orsay Museum at €16
• Palace of Versailles at €18

The total cost of tickets for these individual tickets would be €98. Compare this to the two-day pass price of €57, and you will be saving €41. This is a rather significant saving over two days, and the savings grow exponentially depending on the validity period of your Pass.

Naturally, it would be in your best interest to opt for some of the more expensive activities with your Pass to visit the cheaper ones out of pocket once your Pass expires.

Tips For Taking Full Advantage Of Your Pass

One of the first things to bear in mind when considering the purchase of a Paris Museum Pass is that most museums grant free access to EU citizens under 26. Many attractions also allow free access to anybody under the age of 18.

To ensure you can get the most out of your Paris Museum Pass, check the opening hours. Many museums are closed for one day every week, and many others close early on certain days of the week. Some Parisian museums are open until late at night on certain days.

Through careful planning, you can take advantage of the museum’s opening hours to ensure you maximize your museum viewing time on specific days.

Some museums allow free entry on certain days, often the first Sunday of every month, so ensure that you don’t waste your pass on one of these days.

To ensure you can get the most out of your sightseeing, cluster your visits geographically, and plan carefully for any travel time outside the city.

Remember that your pass is activated from the minute you use it for your first entry and is valid for 48 (96 or 144) consecutive hours, so it’s best not to waste this first day. Have an early start and enjoy what you can during the first day.

If you only have a limited time in Paris, prioritize the higher-priced activities for the days on which your Paris Museum Pass is active. Once the pass has expired, you can enjoy the lower-priced activities by paying for them individually.

Remember to check the reservation requirements, especially for the larger attractions such as the Louvre and Versailles.

How To Buy Your Paris Museum Pass?

In the past, the Paris Museum Pass was only available as a physical pass that had to be purchased at a designated center in the city. 

However, an E-ticket has recently been launched that allows you to purchase your ticket online and print it at home or simply present it on your smartphone to gain entry to the attractions — this saves you shipping costs!

Click here to buy your Paris Museum Pass online here!

After purchasing the E-ticket, you will receive it via email. You will simply have to present it at the checkpoint of each site that you visit throughout your time in Paris.

Final Thoughts on the Paris Museum Pass

Overall, the benefits of the Paris Museum Pass far outweigh the cons. Unless you are only going to be in Paris for one or two days, the pass can save you significant time and money. However, this all depends on how you use the pass and schedule your itinerary.