Visiting Museums Around Paris

If you like art, visiting Paris can have an extra enchantment for you. There are tons of things to do in the city of light, but its museums are a big part of what Paris offers. With them, you’ll not only see some of the most important masterpieces in the world but also, you’ll get to know Paris and France better since most of them will walk you through its history.

So, when to start?

Paris has several museums, and when you start planning your artistic itinerary, you might feel a bit overwhelmed. Before taking any steps, please keep in mind that a ticket for any museum in Paris will cost between 12 and 15 euros (almost the same dollar amount these days). With this in mind, you should know that Paris offers museum passes that allow you to pay less in order to get the most out of your experience. This alternative is called the Paris Museum Pass.

What is the Paris Museum Pass?

The Paris Museum Pass is a special pass that allows you to visit any number of museums you want within a fixed period of time. There are 3 types of passes depending on the number of days you choose:

The two-day pass: You can visit any number of museums you want in two days. It cost 52 euros, so be aware that you’ll only get your money’s worth if you visit more than 4 museums within those two days. This can work if you visit small museums like the Rodin Museum, the Picasso Museum, the Pantheon, and the museum Gustave Moreau. If you are looking to visit the Louvre and the Pompidou Centre, you better purchase the tickets individually.

The four-day pass: This one cost 66 euros. For four days you can diversify your itinerary, choose two big museums in two days and 4 small museums for the other two.

The six-day pass: This one cost 78 euros and it’s your best option if you are an art nerd like me. Within a six-day period, I visited the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Pompidou Center, Musée de l’Armèe, the Panthéon, Rodin Museum, Picasso Museum, and the Arc de Triomphe (Yes, the museum pass is valid for the Arc de Triomphe, but only this monument, you can’t go to the Eiffel Tower)

As you can see, if you are eager to know Paris museums and have the time (and energy) to dedicate six full days to it, this six-day pass is your best option. On that note, please remember that time start counting at the moment you show your pass for the first time at any museum.

Remember to diversify

Evaluate what you like best in art before choosing which museums to visit. If you like contemporary art, the Pompidou Centre would be a great fit for you, walking you from the vanguards to modern times. But if you are more interested in the classics, the Louvre is a better fit, walking you from Greece and Egypt to neo-classicism and more. If you love the impressionists, Musée d’Orsay is the place for you, and if you are more interested in anthropology, Musée du Quai Branly -Jacques Chirac will be amazing.

Hope this short read offers you some light on starting planning your artistic travel. Bonne découverte!