shutterstock-415023661

These 12 must-visit Parisian museums are free on the first Sunday of the month!

undefined undefined 26 février 2025 undefined 09h30

The Editor

©EQRoy/Shutterstock

Many Parisian museums open their doors for free on the first Sunday of every month. Here's a look at these places to discover starting Sunday, March 2!

Do you dream of strolling through the galleries of the Musée d'Orsay, being mesmerized by Monet's Nymphéas at the Orangerie, or treating yourself to a trip to Asia at the Guimet Museum? Well, the entry fees for these wonderful Parisian cultural spots can quickly add up! Good news: on the first Sunday of every month, many institutions open their doors for free to everyone, not just those under 26. We've picked out 12 for you, enough to fill your Sundays this year with joy!


Musée de l’Orangerie 

This is a true must-see in Paris. Nestled at the end of the Tuileries Garden, next to the Place de la Concorde, the Musée de l’Orangerie holds treasures that you won't want to miss.

In addition to its temporary exhibitions, a part of the fabulous Nymphéas painted by Claude Monet. Circular paintings in shades of blue that could captivate our gaze for hours. We can’t get enough of them! Although entry is free on the first Sundays of the month, reservation is still mandatory.

Address: Tuileries Garden, 75001 Paris, France


National Museum of Modern Art - Centre Pompidou 

You can't miss the Centre Pompidou, which amazes us with its magnificent architecture. Even though it will close for renovations from autumn 2025 to 2030, the museum in the Beaubourg neighborhood is still open for a few more months, offering you some temporary exhibitions. Take advantage of it, now is the time!

Address: Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004 Paris, France


Museum of Arts and Crafts

This is the museum that boasts the oldest industrial and technological collection in the world. Here, visitors are captivated by technical advancements as well as progress in science, mechanics, and communication. The evolution of airplanes, cars, cameras… It's all here, delighting the most curious minds! 

Address: 60 Rue Réaumur, 75003 Paris, France


National Picasso Museum 

He was one of the most remarkable artists in history, and for good reason, he is considered one of the founders of cubism. At the Picasso Museum, you can admire no less than 297 paintings, 368 sculptures and 3D works, and 200,000 archival pieces, making it the richest collection in the world of Picasso!

Address: 5 Rue de Thorigny, 75003 Paris, France


Musée national Eugène Delacroix

This is a Parisian museum that's truly one of a kind! Located in the former apartment and studio of the painter Eugène Delacroix, the museum showcases about one thousand works, including paintings, drawings, prints, and manuscripts from the famous 19th-century artist. It's not just a place of art, but also a site of memory.

Address: 6 Rue de Furstemberg, 75006 Paris, France


Musée national Gustave Moreau 

You’ve probably come across photos of the Gustave Moreau Museum without even realizing it! In this artist's house - museum, the paintings are surrounded by a wooden floor and a spiral staircase enclosed by a wrought iron railing. It’s a place that Gustave Moreau himself decided to create to celebrate the life of his life. 

Address: 14 Rue Catherine de la Rochefoucauld, 75009 Paris, France


Musée national Jean-Jacques Henner

Once a private mansion of the artist Guillaume Dubufe, this place allowed him to receive guests, showcase his works, and indulge in his passion for decoration. You'll find diverse inspirations here, drawn from the French Renaissance, Andalusia, Asia, and more… An artist's studio was created here with an oriental atmosphere at the end of the 19th century. The private mansion was purchased in 1921 by Marie Henner, the widow of Jean-Jacques Henner's nephew, where she decided to present the artist's works.

Address: 43 Av. de Villiers, 75017 Paris, France


Musée d’Orsay

It’s a unique place, both a museum where you can spend hours admiring the greatest works, a concert scene, and a space for workshops and meetings. At the Musée d’Orsay, modernity meets classicism to create a true artistic experience. Van Gogh, Thomas Couture, Rosa Bonheur, Claude Monet, Gustave Renoir, as well as Édouard Baldus, Pierre Bonnard, Auguste Rodin, and Camille Claudel—paintings, sculptures, photographs, or decorative arts... All artists and art forms have their place here. 

Voir cette publication sur Instagram

Une publication partagée par Musée d'Orsay (@museeorsay)

Address: Esplanade Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, 75007 Paris, France


Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine 

Exploring the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine is more than just visiting a Parisian museum; it’s like taking a tour of France discovering the most magnificent architectural gems. From casts and mural paintings to modern and contemporary architecture, a thousand years of architectural history are thoroughly examined. 

Address: 1 Pl. du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 75116 Paris, France


National Museum of the History of Immigration - Palais de la Porte Dorée 

Retracing the history of immigration from a chronological, geographical, and thematic perspective is the mission of the Museum of Immigration History. With an approach based on culture, art, economy, as well as racism and discrimination faced, the museum allows us to understand migrations and the role they have played and continue to play in France.  

Address: 293 Av. Daumesnil, 75012 Paris, France


Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac 

It’s a museum that goes beyond time and borders. Since 2006, the Musée du Quai Branly has welcomed nearly 370,000 works from Africa, the Near East, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas, showcasing the cultural richness that has inhabited our world, from the Neolithic to the 20th century.

Address: 37 Quai Jacques Chirac, 75007 Paris, France


National Museum of Asian Arts Guimet 

Headed to Asia ! At the Guimet Museum, you’ll find treasures from Japan, Korea, China, India, and even Afghanistan on display. Prints, sculptures, photographs, paintings, textiles… The various collections of this museum will immerse you in the heart of Asian cultures. 

Voir cette publication sur Instagram

Une publication partagée par Musée Guimet (@museeguimet)

Address: 6 Pl. d'Iéna, 75116 Paris, France


A Few Exceptions 

While these museums are free to access every first Sunday of the month throughout the year, other Parisian museums and monuments offer this option for a more limited time. The Rodin Museum is free on the first Sunday of the month from October 1st to March 31st. The Arc de Triomphe, Panthéon, and Sainte-Chapelle are also free, but only from November 1st to March 31st.