Free Days at Paris Museums

I accidently went on a free sunday to the Louvre.. years ago when they first started doing it.
Huge , massive, mistake.

Now. that does not mean you should waste the free sunday.. just do not use it for the big main popular museums.. like Louvre or Orsay.. use it for some other museums you are on the fence about seeing.. they will not be as crowded.. and you are not wasting any money if you decide to whiz through it in 20 minutes..

The Louvre and Orsay are museums that are worth every penny ( and to me they are very cheap anyways.. as the museum in my home town is a fraction of the size and charges more!)

So.. I am firmly on the side of not using Free Sunday for Louvre or Orsay.. but instead research a few other places.. Cluny, Invalids ( my favorite non art museum ) or something eclectic ( do you have an interest in something that there may be a museum that focuses on ?)

I accidentally went to the Orsay on free Sunday. I had a museum pass, and didn't know it was free day until I got there. Line was insane, but museumpass holders can skip that. Inside, however...It was awful. So, so crowded. Granted, it was a fairly rainy Sunday in September, in the mid afternoon. Going first thing would probably be better, or a nicer day when more people want to be outside.

But I will never go to free day again unless my budget or schedule is such that it's the only way to see something. If Free Sunday is your only day to do it, go early or maybe late, and if you have 2 museums to choose between, go to the less famous one. However, if your schedule and budget permit, go any other day!

Okay, for another perspective. I was in Paris on the 1st Sunday and purposely used that day to visit 2 museums that I knew would be crowded - the Orsay and the Orangerie. These two museums are notorious for long lines and crowds (along with the Louvre) so I figured "what would it hurt, they're going to be crowded anyway, why not go when free?" Yes, there was a line for both, maybe a bit longer than normal - I don't mind lines if I'm aware that they will be that way and I am prepared, have snacks and water with me, etc.. The crowds inside the museum were not overpowering, I had no problem seeing what I wanted to see and having some time to just be in awe of the Monet Water Lillies at the Orangerie without any pushing or jostling, it just wasn't that bad. I ended up being glad that I did what I did.

You're the only one who can judge your own tolerance for lines and crowds. My caveat would be that if you don't have a whole lot of time in Paris you may not want to spend so much time for just one or two museums. I had plenty of time there so it wasn't taking time from something else.

Just wanted you to have another point of view.

The most expensive way to see a major museum in Europe is 'free day'. These museums have very low entry charges compared to even third rate museums in the US. The money goes to keep them up and running. And two hours spent in a line is very expensive time on an expensive European vacations. Some of the lesser museums may be worth trying on free days.

Thank you all for your input. I think you've talked me out of going on the free day. Time in Paris is way too valuable to spend it standing in line.

I did the Louvre on a free Sunday and loved it.

Because I was a student on an extremely tight budget.
Because I was staying 6 weeks in Paris and had time to waste.

For any other tourist in Paris with limited time there are much better ways to spend your time than standing in line for 2 hours, especially when this day allows you to explore some of the lesser known museums.

AnnaConda,

Please note the following exceptions:

• The Louvre : No entry fee on the First Sunday of each month from October 1, to March 31. {http://en.parismuseumpass.com/musee-musee-du-louvre-26.htm}

• Arc de Triomphe : No entry fee on the first Sunday of each month from November 1, to March 31. http://en.parismuseumpass.com/musee-arc-de-triomphe-5.htm

• Chateaux de Versailles : No entry fee on the first Sunday of the month from November 1, to March 31. http://en.parismuseumpass.com/musee-chateaux-de-versailles-et-de-trianon-64.htm

So... Since you plan to be in Paris in September... You may choose to visit any of the above, on the first Sunday of the month, while everyone else is visiting the other "free" museums! :-)

Enjoy your trip!

Thank you, Priscilla! That is great to know.

You're are most welcome!

*Make sure to book your tickets to the Eiffel Tower 3 months in advance.

We plan to be in Paris in June & just booked our ET tickets last week :-)