Paris Museum Pass & Children

Posted by Raymond (Victorville, California, U.S.) on 01/14/14 01:53 PM

Hello, my family and I are visiting Paris for 5 days and are planning on getting the Paris Museum Pass for my wife and I. I have read that some places where they except the pass, they also allow children 18 and under in for free with a paying adult, or Museum Pass, but you have to get in line to get a pass for them.

My question is that in Rick Steve's book on Paris, it doesn't say weather children are free in places like the Cluny Museum, Nortre Dame Tower, the Louvre, Orangerie, or the Orsay. I was wondering if these places are also free for children under 18, or do we have to wait in the ticket line to get them passes?

One of the main reason's we are thinking about the Pass is because of being able to by-pass the lines and it's more cost effective. Our kids are 12 years old.

Thank you very much, Raymond.

Posted by Tim

Knoxville, TN, USA

01/16/14 09:34 PM

7209 posts

Yes, bypassing the line is nice as long you realize that 99% of everybody else in line with you has the pass, too. Anyone with a student id and anyone < 26 can get in free to any state museum. Your 12 year old will not need such identification because they are obviously your "kids".

Posted by pat

victoria, Canada

01/18/14 04:24 AM

11507 posts

I have been to Paris with my kids.. kids walk in with you ( bypassing the lines) in all the places you mentioned except two.

NO ONE passes or not skips the line for the Towers of Notre Dame. Get there BEFORE it opens or expect to wait a long time. The pass does cover your admission costs.. but there is no line skipping at the Towers because they only let 20 folks up at once, the stair way is narrow and steep and room up top is limited.

Kids under 18 free and get in with you at Louvre, Orsay, Cluny( no lines there anyways) .

People under 26 only get in free if they are EU citizens.. but under 18s .

Kids get in free at the Invalids Army Museum ( and its one of my kids favorites, its much better then you think) but you do need a ticket for them, but its not a big deal.. been there twice with kids , both times in summer and neither time was there more then a few minutes wait in line..

So , your basic deal is this.. Museum pass is helpful getting you all to by pass the lines at most places.. and the two places it does not.. one , Notre Dame.. there is no bypassing for anyone, and at Invalids there is no line of any significance to worry about.

I hope you pre ordered ET tickets if you are worried about waiting in long lines. when are you going? They only release them three months in advance but are worth getting in summer, unless you take the stairs ( my 13 yr old and I did ) in which case the line is a bit shorter then those for the elevators.

Posted by Raymond OP

Victorville, California, U.S.

01/19/14 06:23 AM

168 posts

Thank you Tim and Pat. We will be there during the end of September, early October which I believe is the shoulder season. I'm sure it's still going to be busy at that time, although hopefully not as much as in the summer. I don't mind waiting in line a bit, I just don't want to wait in line for hours. Thanks again for the info, it really helps.

Raymond