Planning a culture‑rich trip to Paris? This guide compares the best history museums in Paris—with practical details tourists need: opening hours, ticket prices & discounts, English tours/audio guides, accessibility, how to avoid crowds, nearby transport, and family tips. Save this post and build your perfect itinerary.
Quick tips
✨ Free days: Many museums are free the first Sunday of the month (often Oct–Mar).
🪪 Under‑26 EU? Permanent collections are often free (bring ID).
🎟️ Paris Museum Pass: Great value if you’ll do 3–4+ paid sites in 2–4 days.
⏰ Peak times: Weekends 13:00–16:00; arrive at opening or visit late nights where available.
🎒 Security checks: Travel light; large bags slow entry.
Quick Comparison
| Museum | Focus | Why go | Typical Adult Price | Weekly Closed Day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Musée Carnavalet (Marais) | History of Paris (prehistoric → 20th c.) | Free permanent collection, period rooms, shop signs, Proust room | Free (permanent) | Mon |
| Musée de l’Armée – Les Invalides | Military history + Napoleon’s Tomb | Suits of armor, World Wars, Dome Church | ~€17 | – |
| Musée de Cluny | Middle Ages (incl. Roman baths) | The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries | ~€12 | Mon |
| MNHN – Jardin des Plantes | Natural history | Evolution Hall, dinosaurs, mineral gems | €9–13 per gallery | Tue |
| Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac | Global civilisations (Africa/Asia/Oceania/Americas) | Iconic masks & totems, rooftop views | ~€14 | Mon |
| Musée des Arts et Métiers | Inventions & science history | Foucault’s Pendulum, early cars & planes | ~€12 | Mon |
| Mémorial de la Shoah | Holocaust history & memorial | Profound, educational, free | Free | Sat (Shabbat) |
| La Conciergerie | Revolution & medieval palace | Marie‑Antoinette’s cell, Gothic hall | ~€13 | – |
📌 Prices & hours may change—always confirm on official sites before you go.
1) Musée Carnavalet – History of Paris (Le Marais)
Why it’s unmissable: The most complete timeline of Paris—from Roman Lutetia to the Revolution and the Belle Époque—spread across two mansions with immersive period rooms.
Highlights
- 🪧 Gallery of quirky historic shop signs and a recreated old‑Paris street
- 👑 Revolution relics (e.g., Marie‑Antoinette items, letters)
- 📖 Marcel Proust’s recreated bedroom
Practical
- 🕙 Hours: Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00; closed Mon
- 🎟️ Tickets: Permanent collection free; temporary exhibits paid
- 🇬🇧 English help: Bilingual labels; printed/online guides
- ♿ Accessibility: Elevators, adapted displays; stroller‑friendly
- 🚇 Metro: Saint‑Paul (L1) / Chemin Vert (L8)
- 🙌 Crowd tip: Avoid free Sundays unless you arrive at opening.
2) Musée de l’Armée – Les Invalides (7th)
Why it’s unmissable: France’s top military museum plus the gilded Dome Church housing Napoleon’s Tomb.
Highlights
- ⚔️ Knight armor & swords; Napoleonic artifacts
- 💣 Immersive WWI & WWII galleries
- 🛡️ Courtyard lined with historic cannons
Practical
- 🕙 Hours: Daily ~10:00–18:00; late opening 1st Fri (check calendar)
- 🎟️ Tickets: ~€17 (includes Dome & most exhibits); under‑18 free; EU 18–25 often free/reduced
- 👩🏫 Tours: In‑house & partner tours; audio/digital guide available
- ♿ Accessibility: Wheelchair routes, accessible restrooms
- 🚇 Metro/RER: Varenne (L13) / La Tour‑Maubourg (L8) / Invalides (RER C)
- 🙌 Crowd tip: Visit at opening or during late night Fridays.
3) Musée de Cluny – National Museum of the Middle Ages (Latin Quarter)
Why it’s unmissable: A time‑travel setting: Roman bath ruins + Gothic mansion and the famous “Lady and the Unicorn” tapestries.
Highlights
- 🦄 Six‑panel Unicorn tapestry cycle (c.1500)
- 🪟 Medieval stained glass, sculptures, reliquaries
- 🏛️ The towering frigidarium of the ancient baths
Practical
- 🕤 Hours: Tue–Sun 9:30–18:15; closed Mon
- 🎟️ Tickets: ~€12; free 1st Sun; EU 18–25 free
- 🇬🇧 English help: Video/audio guides; bilingual labels; app
- ♿ Accessibility: Elevators & ramps; some heritage limits
- 🚇 Metro/RER: Cluny–La Sorbonne (L10) / Saint‑Michel – ND (RER B/C)
- 🙌 Crowd tip: See the Unicorn room early or late.
4) Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle – Jardin des Plantes (5th)
Why it’s unmissable: The Grande Galerie de l’Évolution wows with a parade of life‑size animals; nearby galleries cover dinosaurs, minerals, and more—perfect for families.
Highlights
- 🐘 Four‑level Evolution Hall of animal displays
- 🦖 Paleontology: dinosaur & Ice‑Age skeletons
- 💎 Glittering Mineralogy (gems, meteorites)
Practical
- 🕙 Hours: Generally 10:00–18:00; closed Tue (gallery‑dependent)
- 🎟️ Tickets: Per‑gallery €9–13; combo options; many youth reductions
- 🇬🇧 English help: Bilingual labels; some free tours
- ♿ Accessibility: Elevators; accessible routes marked
- 🚇 Metro/RER: Gare d’Austerlitz (L5/L10/RER C) / Jussieu (L7)
- 🙌 Crowd tip: Weekday mornings are calm; rainy Sundays are packed.
5) Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac (Near Eiffel Tower)
Why it’s unmissable: A cinematic journey through Africa, Asia, Oceania & the Americas in a lush Jean Nouvel building; superb for design & anthropology lovers.
Highlights
- 🪆 Monumental totem poles & Oceanic carvings
- 🎭 Masterpiece masks and textiles from Africa & Asia
- 🌇 Rooftop terrace views of the Eiffel Tower
Practical
- 🕥 Hours: Tue–Sun 10:30–19:00; Thu late to ~22:00; closed Mon
- 🎟️ Tickets: ~€14; reductions available; under‑18 free
- 👩🏫 Guides: Paid tours (FR); private EN tours on request; audioguide
- ♿ Accessibility: Fully accessible; wheelchairs available
- 🚇 Metro/RER: Alma‑Marceau (L9) / Pont de l’Alma (RER C)
- 🙌 Crowd tip: Thursday nights are wonderfully quiet.
6) Musée des Arts et Métiers (3rd)
Why it’s unmissable: Paris’s museum of inventions—from astrolabes to early computers—capped by Foucault’s Pendulum swinging in a former church.
Highlights
- 🪙 Foucault’s Pendulum demonstration
- 🚗 Early cars & planes, steam engines
- 🗽 Statue of Liberty model, automatons
Practical
- 🕙 Hours: Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00; late opening one evening (check); closed Mon
- 🎟️ Tickets: ~€12; free 1st Sun; under‑26 EU free
- 👩🏫 Guides: Free FR tours; English audio/app
- ♿ Accessibility: Elevators; most areas step‑free
- 🚇 Metro: Arts et Métiers (L3/L11)
- 🙌 Crowd tip: A hidden gem—usually quiet on weekdays.
7) Mémorial de la Shoah (Marais)
Why it’s unmissable: A solemn, essential museum‑memorial on the Holocaust in France; deeply informative and free.
Highlights
- 🧱 Outdoor Wall of Names of deported Jews
- 📜 Permanent exhibit with testimonies & archives
- 🔥 Underground crypt with eternal flame
Practical
- 🕙 Hours: Daily 10:00–18:00; Thu to ~22:00; closed Sat (Shabbat)
- 🎟️ Tickets: Free for all
- 👩🏫 Tours: FR free Sun; EN tour 2nd Sun monthly (usually free)
- ♿ Accessibility: Fully accessible; quiet spaces
- 🚇 Metro: Saint‑Paul (L1) / Hôtel de Ville (L1/L11)
- 👨👩👧 Family note: Best for 12+ given sensitive content.
8) La Conciergerie (Île de la Cité)
Why it’s unmissable: A medieval royal palace turned Revolutionary prison—walk Marie‑Antoinette’s last corridor under soaring Gothic vaults.
Highlights
- 🏰 Vast Hall of Men‑at‑Arms (1300s)
- 👑 Marie‑Antoinette’s cell (re‑created)
- 📱 Histopad AR tablet to time‑travel rooms
Practical
- 🕤 Hours: Daily ~9:30–18:00
- 🎟️ Tickets: ~€13; combo with Sainte‑Chapelle ~€18; Paris Museum Pass included
- 👩🏫 Guides: FR tours; Histopad (multi‑lang) included for self‑guided
- ♿ Accessibility: Ground floor step‑free; upper areas limited
- 🚇 Metro/RER: Cité (L4) / Saint‑Michel ND (RER B/C)
- 🙌 Crowd tip: Visit after Sainte‑Chapelle—usually fewer lines here.
Smart Itineraries (1–3 Days)
One Museum‑Packed Day (Left Bank)
☀️ Morning: Les Invalides (Musée de l’Armée) → 🍴 Lunch on Rue Cler → 🕑 Afternoon: Musée du Quai Branly → 🌅 Sunset on the Seine.
Medieval & Revolution Day (Île + Latin Quarter)
☀️ Morning: La Conciergerie → 🚶 Walk to Sainte‑Chapelle → 🍴 Lunch in Latin Quarter → 🕑 Afternoon: Musée de Cluny → 🍷 Early dinner nearby.
Marais & Family Day
☀️ Morning: Musée Carnavalet → 🍴 Lunch at Place des Vosges → 🕑 Afternoon: Jardin des Plantes (MNHN) (Evolution or Paleontology gallery) → 🌇 Evening: picnic by the Seine.
Tickets, Passes & Money‑Saving Tips
- 💻 Book timed tickets online for busy sites (Invalides Dome on weekends; Conciergerie in peak season).
- 🗓️ First Sundays: Free entry (often Oct–Mar) draws crowds—arrive at opening.
- 🪪 Under‑26 (EU) & under‑18 (all): Often free for permanent collections—carry ID.
- 🎟️ Paris Museum Pass: If you’ll visit 3–4 paid monuments in 48–96 hours, it likely pays for itself.
- 🔗 Combo tickets: Look for Invalides + Rodin or Conciergerie + Sainte‑Chapelle bundles.
Accessibility & Family Notes (Quick‑Glance)
- ♿ Easiest with wheelchairs/strollers: Carnavalet, Quai Branly, Invalides (plan extra walking), MNHN Evolution Hall.
- 👨👩👧 Most engaging for kids: MNHN (Evolution, Paleontology), Arts et Métiers (machines & pendulum), Conciergerie (Histopad).
- 🤫 Quieter alternatives: Arts et Métiers (weekdays), Carnavalet (non‑free Sundays), Quai Branly Thu nights.
Getting There: Transport Cheatsheet
- 🚇 Metro/RER near clusters
• Les Invalides/Quai Branly: Varenne (L13), La Tour‑Maubourg (L8), Alma‑Marceau (L9), Pont de l’Alma (RER C)
• Île de la Cité: Cité (L4), Saint‑Michel – ND (RER B/C)
• Marais: Saint‑Paul (L1), Hôtel de Ville (L1/L11)
• Latin Quarter/Jardin des Plantes: Cluny–La Sorbonne (L10), Jussieu (L7), Gare d’Austerlitz (L5/L10/RER C) - 🧭 Navigation tips
• Use t+ tickets or a contactless card; buses are great for riverbank hops.
• Allow 15–25 min transfer buffer between museum slots.
FAQ
Are museum labels in English?
📖 Most major museums provide bilingual labels (FR/EN). Where limited, rent an audio guide or use the official app/printed guide.
Do I need to book in advance?
🗓️ For popular sites (Invalides Dome, Sainte‑Chapelle combo), weekends, and holidays—yes. Otherwise, same‑day visits are fine.
What’s closed on Mondays/Tuesdays?
📌 Many Paris museums close Mon (Carnavalet, Cluny, Quai Branly, Arts et Métiers) or Tue (MNHN galleries). Plan accordingly.
Is photography allowed?
📸 Usually yes without flash in permanent collections. Temporary exhibits may restrict; always check signage.
Can I bring a backpack?
🎒 Allowed but often must be front‑worn or checked. Travel light to speed security.
Final Planning Checklist
- ✅ Pick 1–2 museums per half‑day—don’t overschedule.
- 🕙 Check current hours and temporary exhibits on official sites.
- 🎟️ Reserve timed tickets where needed; consider a Museum Pass.
- 🎒 Pack light; bring water, ID, and a power bank.
- 👨👩👧 For families: schedule park/play time (Jardin des Plantes, Invalides lawns).
Bon voyage and happy museum‑hopping! 🇫🇷🏛️