Paris Museums - Free Sundays?

Melinda , ,yes they are free first sunday of the month, if you don't believe us why don't you simply look in the musuems websites, they all have them and in English. I would suggest you avoid wasting a "free" sunday on places like Louvre or Orsay, the crowds are astounding and you have likely planned to visit them anyways, I would suggest you use a free day to visit some smaller museums you weren't sure about visiting.. then if they do not interest you , you are not out any money for popping in. Good ones to try : Cluny Medival Invalids Army( this is a very interesting museum ) Pomidou Rodin Branly
Pantheon( not a museum of course but free on 1st sunday)

Thanks Pat...it was not that I didn't believe you-sheesh. I was just not clear as I just pulled 1st Sunday of the month from memory of years ago. I did try to look on Louvre site and did not readily see it. Given how helpful this site is, I thought I could get a quick answer. Thank you for your tip on using the free Sunday for smaller museums.

And this coming Sunday, Bastille Day, the Louvre will be free once again. No other museum is listed as free, for the moment.

Alex...thank you. Can you confirm is it the 1st Sunday of the month?

Thank you Bets!

Melinda, I was in Paris last July on the 1st Sunday and I managed to do both the Musee d'Orsay and l'Orangerie. I got to the Musee d'Orsay about 45 mins before opening so had to wait about an hour as there were about 100 people in front of me but it was still nice to get in right after opening when it wasn't too crowded yet. When I was done there I had some lunch then went and got in line for the l'Orangerie (about a 45 min wait). It does take some patience to do the free days at the museums because of the lines, but if you plan for it you can do one or two during the day and still have your evening for roaming around Paris or a cruise on the Seine (to rest your weary feet). Get to your first priority museum early to beat the worst of the crowds. Also, I agree with suggestion to use the free day to see the smaller less crowded museums. I was just pinching my pennies so hard and these two big ones were the most expensive ones so it made the free day more of a value for me.

Since March 31 the Pantheon is no longer free on Sunday. Also remember that the unicorn tapestries are no longer at the Cluny. They are being restored.

@Sandy - you're right that the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries are not currently on display in the Cluny but they aren't being restored. They're on loan to art galeries in Tokyo and Osaka Japan for showing until Oct 20,2013, when I assume they will return to the Cluny.

Thanks Nancy & Sandy!