Museums & Exhibits
Paris' national museums are multi-purpose, user-friendly machines shaped by the public interest and state funds. Serving as forums for lectures, art films, concerts, and the occasional play, the museums here -especially the Louvre, Orsay and Beaubourg - broadcast Paris, past and present.
For listings of frequent temporary exhibits, consult the bimonthly "Bulletin des Musees et Monuments historiques", available at the tourist office. "Paris museums and monuments", also at the tourist office, provides all the information you need about the museums. "Pariscope" and "L'officiel des Spectacles" list museums hours and temporary exhibits.
Students, children
teachers, and senior citizens are eligible for reduced admissions at almost all
Parisian museums. Frequent museum-goers ineligible for these discounts may invest
in the Museum Pass.
The Museum Pass (Carte Musées et Monuments) provides a splendid way to see a
lot for comparatively little. The pass offers immediate entry to 65 museums and
monuments (permanent collections only, not valid for special exhibitions), without
waiting in long lines. You present your card, and voilà, you're in. Most of the
major museums are included: the Musee du Louvre, Centre Pompidou, Musee d'Orsay,
Cluny, Crypt of Notre Dame, and much more. You can obtain the pass from the participating
museums, all Métro kiosks, and the Tourist Office headquarters at 127 avenue
des Champs-Elysées. Travel agencies also often sell the pass in the U.S. and
Europe. The price is 60F for one day, 125F for three days, and 170F for five
days.