day packs in Paris museum?

With heightened security it is a toss up. A day pack worn on one shoulder and under the arm like a purse usually gets by especially if worn by a woman. Most museums absolutely do not allow back packs worn on the back. They also don't allow child carrier/backpacks. All for obvious reasons in a museum. We use a messenger bag which we take turns carrying if we need a day pack but back when we had a day pack, I always carried it in museums because my husband would often be asked to check it if he was carrying it.

Maybe you could plan to leave most of the things you normally pack in your bag at home, on the day you go visiting a museum. Security is tight, and the lines move more slowly due to people being refused entry, etc.

If you do bring a bag of any kind, remember that you will have to worry about pickpockets, which are a problem in museums, and that this can take a lot of the enjoyment out of your visit. You might be so tired after the museum visit that you'll go back home anyway, so can pick up your bag when you go out later on.

Hope you don't mind that I ask a similar clarification question - are there separate lines at the Paris museums for those who have a bag and those who don't? In other words, is there a big advantage to not even bringing a bag because that line will move faster (relatively speaking)?

the security line is for everyone and there is no separate line for those who don't have bags to go through the x-ray at the Louvre. If you are right behind someone who has a bag, you can usually walk around them as their bag goes through but there is no advantage to arriving without a purse. (I usually am not carrying a bag myself) The big line saver is to have a ticket ahead and use the bypass at the Orsay or Louvre for ticket holders.

rp,

Given recent events in Paris and elsewhere, day packs could be a problem. This from the Louvre website.....

"PLEASE NOTE: any items exceeding 55 cm x 35 cm x 20 cm are not permitted in the museum."

I suspect that even if an item fits these dimensions, a security officer could still insist that the item be checked.

Day packs are never allowed in museums because you could accidently hit a statue or painting with it on your back. It's the same in US museums. It's as Janet said, you have to carry it on one shoulder like a purse. If I have a day pack, I usually check it and transfer important papers and money into a small cloth bag that I keep with me.

There are no separate lines for people carrying luggage, backpacks, etc. in any museum or attraction in Paris.
There are separate lines for people who have bought advance tickets or passes - these are clearly marked.
But everyone must go through Security before entering.
You'd be surprised to find how many people arrive with suitcases, because they can't get into their rental apartment, or are on a very short layover. Then they are turned away and have to wander the streets with all their stuff.