Paris Museum Pass

Michelle -

I would definitely get the pass. The Louvre is a sure thing, but the Musee D'Orsay is also a must see (pretty much all Impressionist art - your daughter should love it). There are so many great museums. Maybe the biggest advantage of the pass is getting to skip the lines. This may also mean that you'll stop in at other museums - just because you can "pop" in without having to wait in line. Have fun!

Heather

Michelle, be sure to plan your dates in accordance to when the museums are opened, and which stay open longer.

http://www.parismuseumpass.com/en/home.php

Michelle, The pass is well worth it! It will save you time and money. It covers most all the museums, as well as things like the Arc de Triomphe and Versailles. The pass will pay for itself by just going to 3 or 4 places and you will not have to stand in line for an admission ticket. Most major museums, etc. are closed either on Mondays or Tuesdays. The pass is activated the first time you use it and the days of validity run on consecutive days. So, if you have a 2 day pass (which I recommend) and you use it starting on a Wed. it will be valid through Thurs. Ashley

Go here: http://www.parismuseumpass.com/en/musees_liste_nom.php

Once there you can click on the name of each museum to see what sort of museum it is. There are also links to the websites for the individual museums so that you can learn about any special exhibitions or if there are going to be any closures. For example, the Musee de la Musique will be closed for "refitting" from June 25th to September 10th.

Your shuttle company is doing you no huge favor. They will just price it up.
Buy the pass at a museum or site that is quiet ,, like the Cluny for example.

PS The Passes are not great money savers , they are great TIME savers. If you buy one , you should use it at least 3 -4 times a day to "save money", less then that you are either not saving anything, or you may just break even.

A noted side benefit, , ,they enable you to pop into any site to use the toilet!

Hi,
I had a read through the website; I noticed that many of the places I would use the pass at also has an additional 'access' prices. Does anyone know how this works? Do we still have to line up at the actual location?
ie du louvre or ArcdeTrimuphe?
We are going the frist week in June.

Jeanette

Jeanette, having a pass allows you to skip the lines and go right in. There is no additional charge and you can go in and out of the same museum as many times as you wish on the day(s) covered by the pass.

Only you can decide how many museums you want to see in a 2-4-6 day period. The value is in time and if you are planning on seeing 12-15 museums, it is a really great deal.

On the other hand, if you really only want to see a museum every other day, it is a waste of money . . .

It's not so much about saving money (even though you will), it's all about skipping lines and being able to 'pop' into any museum along the way (even if only to use their 'facilities' or get out of the rain). Buy it in Paris, preferably at one of the less 'travelled' museums (Invalides?) to save time in purchase lines. Go to their website to see the museums included on the pass -Michelle, it's worth it!

Michelle, On the advice of this site last Fall, I bought the 4-day Museum Pass and was really glad I did. I actually didn't even go to the Louvre - not my kind of art! I'm an Impressionist lover so I used it for the Musee D'Orsay and L'Orangerie (both exquisite in their own ways and just across the Seine from each other). And for even more Impressionist paintings (ones I'd never seen before), go to the Musee Marmottan (sadly, not on the Pass but definitely worth the trip to West Paris by Metro). And since I had the Pass, I went to places I might have skipped (Sainte-Chapelle's magnificent stained glass windows, the Rodin's sculptures and garden, etc.) Just remember that your days have to be successive, so plan accordingly.

I'm with Geoff. It's great to be able to go in just to use the facilities. I usually end up seeing more musees than I would if I had to pay to get into each. Since I've already paid, I don't feel as tho I have to somehow justify the price of a quick look around.

I usually make my first visit to a small museum where I don't have to wait in line to buy it. For me, Les Invalides or the Rodin are handiest. Since my trips are usually only 4 or 5 days, I buy a pass to cover most days. It's one thing I don't scrimp on.

Michelle, I agree with everything that has been posted and most of all that you can
SKIP the lines! They were terriby long and it was great to skip the lines and save your energy for more fun things to see and do. Definitely get the museum pass at one of the smaller lined sites and look forward to a wonderful, eduational time in Paris.

Holly is dead on - when I was in Paris the Orangerie was still closed, but I loved loved LOVED the Orsay, and can't wait to get back this autumn. Go straight to the top floor - Impressionists, and work your way down. You see the best first, and if you get tired and decide to leave, you won't have regrets later. I especially appreciate that one can take photos with no flash - I can get those photos out and be happy in no time!

Ashley, Why not buy a four-day pass? If Versailles is on your list, use the pass for other covered museums and buy a Forfait Loisirs which includes both admission and roundtrip transportation on the Metro and RER for the day you go to Versailles. The Musee Marmottan has a breathtaking collection of Monet water lily paintings, but the pass doesn't cover admission. Go there on a day you can't use your pass. The Musee du Luxembourg is another fine independent museum not covered by the pass.

I will be in Paris for six full days, from Tuesday, April 29 through Sunday, May 4. From what I have read, it seems that most museums will be closed on May Day (Thursday) and most museums are free on the first Sunday of the month. I was planning to get a six day pass, but it seems like that may be a waste of money because I could only use it on four of the six days. Should I just try to see everything that I can on Tuesday and Wednesday or do you think it is still worth the money to get a 6 day pass because of the time saving benefits? Thanks

I am not going to get a pass. That's an expensive solution to the toilet problem!

Eli, I thought that's an excellent toilet solution!! Plus, if you're going to see the attractions anyway, why NOT get the pass to skip the line??

Check to see if your daughter needs a pass. She may be young enough where she does not need one.

Great deal.