🎨MuseumClosed · Opens 10:00 AM$ · Budget-friendly

Musée Carnavalet

Name: Musée Carnavalet
Price range: $
Rating: 4.7

4.7 ·

Step into Musée Carnavalet, Paris's oldest city museum. Wander free through 3,800 works and period-decorated rooms tracing the capital's story from prehistoric times to today, with temporary exhibitions and guided tours along the way.

✨

Reasons to go

It is the oldest municipal museum in Paris, occupying the Hôtel Carnavalet and the neighboring Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau.
The permanent collection holds over 3,800 works and reconstructed period rooms tracing Paris's history from prehistory to today.
Free permanent access means no ticket queue, and the galleries stay uncrowded even at midday.

📖

Full description

Housed in a historic building at 23 rue Madame de Sévigné, Musée Carnavalet is the oldest museum of the City of Paris. Its permanent collection, free and open to all, spans over 3,800 works and period decors illustrating Paris's history from prehistoric times to the present.

The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, guided tours, and workshops for visitors of all ages.

📍

Address

23 Rue de Sévigné, 75003 Paris, France · Le Marais

Website

🕐

Hours

🎫

Booking

Walk-in

Duration

1h15

Best time

morning, lunchtime or afternoon

Intensity

Active — lots of walking

💡

Good to know

Permanent collection is free with open access, so no ticket queue for the main galleries
the museum is rarely overcrowded, making midday visits pleasant. Closed Mondays, and rooms close at 17:45.

💬

Reviews

I’m surprised that is isn’t busier than it is, given what an excellent museum it is. Tells the story of Paris through art and exhibits. I especially enjoyed seeing the remnants of the statue of Henry IV on Pont Neuf, which has subsequently been rebuilt. In addition, a tiny fragment of the hand of the statue of Louis…

Michael Offord

1/5

📍 Nearby spots