Is the Paris Museum Pass Worth It? An Honest Verdict and How to Get the Most Out of It
Is it worth it?
- Worth itYes if you'll visit 4 or more big museums and monuments in 2-4 days, like the Louvre, Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, Sainte-Chapelle and Versailles.
- Skip itNo for one or two museums. Single tickets are cheaper.
- Skip itNo for under-18s. Most national museums are free for them anyway.
- From €85 (2 days)
- 50+ museums and monuments
- Louvre, Orsay, Versailles
What is The Paris Museum Pass?
The Paris Museum Pass covers one entry to each of 50+ museums and monuments for 2, 4 or 6 consecutive days. Some, like the Louvre, Orsay and Sainte-Chapelle, still need a free timed slot.
Paris's big museums are pricey on their own (the Arc €16-22, Versailles €25-35, Sainte-Chapelle €22), which is why this official pass usually pays for itself.
By our maths, you can save about €22.50 (about 21%) on our 5-site summer example compared with buying each ticket separately. The saving is biggest in summer, when Versailles (€35) and the Arc (€22) cost most.
- Sites
- 50+
- Price
- €85 / €105 / €125
- Days
- 2, 4 or 6
- Eiffel Tower
- Not included
How to get the most value out of The Paris Museum Pass
Plan two or three sites a day and the 2-day pass (€85) is usually paid off by the second afternoon.
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Plan the Louvre on a Tuesday | The Louvre closes on Tuesdays. Check every museum's closing day before you start the pass. |
| Do Versailles on day one | Versailles is a half to full day out. Put it in the middle so the city museums fill the other days. |
| Queue at the Arc de Triomphe for a ticket | Pass holders don't need a timed slot there. Walk to the entrance. |
| Start the pass on a Monday | Versailles is closed Mondays and the Louvre Tuesdays. Start mid-week so both fall inside your days. |
| Book Orsay for the afternoon | Orsay is quietest at opening and on Thursday evenings. |
| Head to the Louvre without checking how busy it is | Check the Louvre's live crowd level on beatthecrowd.co first. If it's busy, do another Paris sight on your pass and come back later. |
Before you set off for the Louvre, check how busy it is right now on beatthecrowd.co. An hour in a queue is an hour of your pass gone.
Check live crowds in Paris →Who The Paris Museum Pass is for
Good fit
- Museum and monument lovers
- You'll visit 4+ paid sites in 2-4 days
- You don't mind booking time slots
Skip it if
- You only want one or two museums
- The Eiffel Tower is your main sight
- Your group is mostly under-18s
- From €85 (2 days)
- 50+ museums and monuments
- Louvre, Orsay, Versailles
What the pass covers
The pass covers 50+ museums and monuments in and around Paris, one entry each.
- The Louvre, Orsay and Sainte-Chapelle still need a free timed slot.
- The Eiffel Tower and Catacombs aren't on it.
The big sights
- LouvreBook a slotFree timed slot; closed Tuesdays.
- Musée d'OrsayBook a slot€16 on its own; reserve a slot.
- Arc de TriompheIncluded€16-22 on its own; no slot needed.
- Palace of VersaillesIncluded€25-35 on its own.
- Sainte-ChapelleBook a slot€22 on its own; reserve a slot.
- Musée de l'OrangerieBook a slot€12.50 on its own.
- PanthéonIncluded€13-16 on its own.
- Eiffel TowerNot included
- From €85 (2 days)
- 50+ museums and monuments
- Louvre, Orsay, Versailles
Pass vs individual tickets
The 2-day pass is €85. Four or five big sites usually cost more than that bought separately, especially in summer.
Worked example: 2 days, 5 sites
| Attraction | Adult ticket bought separately |
|---|---|
| Arc de Triomphe rooftop | €16 (Oct-Mar), €22 (Apr-Sep) |
| Musée d'Orsay | €16 online |
| Versailles Passport | €25 (Nov-Mar), €35 (Apr-Oct) |
| Sainte-Chapelle | €22 (non-EEA) |
| Musée de l'Orangerie | €12.50 online |
| Total separately | About €91.50 (winter) to €107.50 (summer) |
| Paris Museum Pass, 2 days | €85 |
- From €85 (2 days)
- 50+ museums and monuments
- Louvre, Orsay, Versailles
Fine print
- Days
- Consecutive days from first use.
- Reservations
- Free timed slots at the Louvre, Orsay, Sainte-Chapelle, Orangerie and others.
- Visits
- One entry per site.
- Refunds
- It can't be returned, refunded or exchanged, and closures don't earn a refund or extra time. The one exception: someone entitled to free entry who bought a pass can get a refund if it's never been scanned.
Is it safe? Where people lose money
- Reassuring: The Paris Museum Pass is the official pass, run by the participating museums and monuments.
- Reassuring: Refunds: It can't be returned, refunded or exchanged, and closures don't earn a refund or extra time. The one exception: someone entitled to free entry who bought a pass can get a refund if it's never been scanned.
- Watch out: Free timed slots are still needed at the Louvre, Orsay, Sainte-Chapelle and the Orangerie.
Where people lose money
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Count sites that are free for you | Under-18s, and EU residents under 26, get into most national museums free. |
| Buy the 6-day pass for a 4-day trip | Days are consecutive. Buy the length that matches your museum days. |
| Count the Eiffel Tower | It isn't on the pass; budget €14.80-36.70 for it separately. |
| Queue at the Louvre at peak time | Check beatthecrowd.co for the Louvre's quiet hours before you go. |
Queuing is the easiest way to lose value in Paris. Check which sights are quiet right now on beatthecrowd.co, starting with the Louvre.
Check live crowds in Paris →- From €85 (2 days)
- 50+ museums and monuments
- Louvre, Orsay, Versailles
Alternatives
Includes this Museum Pass plus a Seine cruise, bus tour and more, 82 attractions in all, paid by the day. Read our verdict.
Planning your order and avoiding queues is the simplest way to get full value: see how busy Paris’s attractions are right now →
- From €85 (2 days)
- 50+ museums and monuments
- Louvre, Orsay, Versailles
FAQs
Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it?
+
Yes if you'll visit four or five big sites in the pass days. Five sites like the Arc, Orsay, Versailles, Sainte-Chapelle and Orangerie cost about €91.50-107.50 separately, against €85 for 2 days.
How much is the Paris Museum Pass?
+
€85 for 2 days, €105 for 4 days and €125 for 6 days.
Does it include the Eiffel Tower?
+
No.
Do I still need to book the Louvre?
+
Yes, a free timed reservation. Orsay and Sainte-Chapelle need slots too.
Is the Arc de Triomphe included?
+
Yes, with no timed slot needed.