Museum in France

A visit to a museum in France is the best way to step into the past and understand the city’s culture. From art and history to science and innovation, museums here offer something for every interest. MakeMyTrip lists 6286 must-visit museums in France for 2025, making it easy to plan your trip. Exhibits are well curated, with guided tours and interactive displays that keep both adults and children engaged. Whether you’re fascinated by ancient artefacts or modern installations, each museum tells a story worth exploring. With France museum prices starting from INR 176, spending a few hours inside is affordable yet highly rewarding. This October, discover a new side of France with MakeMyTrip’s handpicked museums.

Explore Culture and Creativity With Top Museums in France

France is known for its vast presence of attractions that visitors love to explore to know about the country’s culture, history and lifestyle. One of the best ways to know about France and its history is through visits to its most popular museums. The country has a vast array of museums that cater to interests across diverse fields and relevance. Be it history, culture, science, nature, or any other field, you will find some or the other famous museum in France displaying exhibits under your relevant interest/s.

Some of the most popular museums in France are located in cities like Paris, Chantilly, Bordeaux, Arles, Thiepval, Coquainvilliers, etc. You can visit a number of museum options here for a rich exploration and learning experience. The Louvre Museum in Paris is a famous museum in France known worldwide for its curated collection of art and antiquities. Similarly, Centre Pompidou boasts an extensive art collection from modern as well as contemporary artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. Other best museums in France include the likes of Musee d’Orsay, Airborne Museum, Chateau de Chantilly, Carnavalet Museum, etc.

Explore the Diverse Museums of France

Art Museums

1 - Louvre Museum

Also known as the Louvre, this national art museum is one of the most popular museums in the world. The famous museum in France houses masterpieces like the Mona Lisa by Da Vinci and has an extensive collection of 35,000 art pieces spread across four floors for exploration. Its grandiose is reflected in its 403 halls, portraying exquisite pieces, and making it the biggest museum in France, which receives great admiration from visitors.

• Address: Located at 99 Rue de Rivoli in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, 75001, by the River Seine. You can easily reach this museum via various modes of transport, like bus, metro, car, etc. The nearest metro station is Palais Royal - Musee du Louvre station, which is within walking distance. Also, bus lines 14, 21, 27, 39, 67, etc. have their stops nearby.
• Hours of Operation: Open 9.00 AM to 6.00 PM Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays; open 9.00 AM to 9.00 PM Wednesdays and Fridays; closed on Tuesdays

2 - The Centre Pompidou

An epitome of art collections, The Centre Pompidou is the most famous museum in France for its largest contemporary and modern art displays. It also has an audacious exposed metallic structure, which is awe-inspiring and displays masterpieces from popular artists like Marcel Duchamp, Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, etc.

• Address: Located in Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004, Paris. There are various metro stations near the museum for easy accessibility, like Chatelet, Rambuteau, etc. RER and bus transit are also available to reach here.
• Hours of Operation: Open 11.00 AM to 7.00 PM (Tuesdays closed)

History Museums

1 - Musee de l’Histoire de France

Operated by the Archives Nationales, this famous museum in France is known for its extensive collection of exhibits portraying the country’s history. Visitors can enjoy the ancient origins of the country through various reigns that it has been a part of, along with the evolution of the country’s culture, lifestyle and political history.

• Address: Located at 60, rue des Francs-Bourgeois. The closest metro station to this museum is Rambuteau, located on Line 11. If travelling by bus, you can choose from buses on routes 29, 75, 96, etc. It is situated within walking distance of Hotel de Ville.
• Hours of Operation: Open on Saturdays and Sundays from 2.00 PM to 5.30 PM

2 - Musee de Cluny

A museum built within a medieval architectural monument itself, Musee de Cluny houses artefacts and collections from the medieval age. It boasts of more than 23,000 artefacts belonging to the Gallo-Roman era and is a famous museum in France for history Geeks. You can find displays up to the French Renaissance here, dating back to the 16th century.

• Address: Located at 28 Rue Du Sommerard, 75005 Paris. The museum is easily accessible via public transport. The nearest metro station is Cluny - La Sorbonne, located on Line 10, while bus lines stopping nearby run on routes 21, 27, 38, 63 and 85.
• Hours of Operation: Open daily from 9.30 AM to 6.15 PM (Closed on Mondays)

Science & Technology Museums

1 - Cite des Sciences et de l’industrie

One of the most popular science museums of France, Cite des Sciences et de l’Industrie is known for its numerous, uniquely immersive and interactive exhibits. It is a great centre for boosting creativity and exploring scientific innovation designed by genius minds with various activities to explore. It is surrounded by a large green park and is known as a tech centre too. A haven for young minds, this famous museum in France brings various scientific concepts to life through its inspiring exhibits.

• Address: Located at 30 Av. Corentin Cariou, Paris 75019. The museum is easily accessible via various modes of transport. The nearest metro from here is Porte de la Villette on Lines 5 and 7, accessible within walking distance. It can also be reached via the namesake tramway station.
• Hours of Operation: Open daily from 9.30 AM to 6.00 PM

2 - Musee des Arts et Métiers

Undertake a captivating journey through the history and development of technological and scientific innovations spanning centuries. Among the oldest museums in the world, this French museum has seven permanent sections of exhibition, like scientific instruments, communication, mechanics, material, etc. They take visitors through a chronological journey divided into four periods spanning from 1750 to the post-1950 era. The museum houses about 80,000 objects along with 15,000 technical drawings from across various industrial and scientific fields.

• Address: Located at 60, Rue Reaumur, Paris 75003. You can easily reach here via the nearest metro, which is Arts et Metiers metro station on Lines 3 and 11. Bus lines with nearby stops from the museums run on routes 20, 38, 39 and 47.
• Hours of Operation: Open from 10.00 AM to 6.00 PM daily

Cultural & Speciality Museums

1 - Musee d’Orsay

Displaying well-preserved art forms of France that are a mainstream component of French culture, this famous museum in France exhibits breathtaking sculptures and remarkable paintings from the top artists of the country. The museum also portrays furnishing and photography as art forms designed as well as curated over time. Visitors can find creative masterpieces in this treasure trove of French art.

• Address: Located on Esplanade Valery Giscard d’Estaing, Paris 75007. The Solferino metro station on Line 12 is located within walking distance of this museum. The RER C line also runs nearby, while bus lines 63, 68, 69, 73, etc. have their stops nearby.
• Hours of Operation: Open 9.30 AM to 6.00 PM from Tuesday to Sunday (Closed on Mondays)

2 - Musee de l'Armée

The national military museum of France, Musee de l’Armee, was created after merging Musee Historique de l’Armee with Musee de l’Artillerie. The museum portrays a wide array of army essentials that have been a part of the French defence system over the timelines of various reigns in the country.

• Address: Located at Rue de Grenelle, Paris 75007. You can reach the museum easily via the metro lines 8 and 13, stopping at Invalides station, which is just a few minutes away. You can also take the RER C line or any of the bus lines 28, 63, 69, 83, etc. to reach here.
• Hours of Operation: Open daily 10.00 AM to 5 PM (October to March) and 10.00 AM to 6.00 PM (April to September)

Children’s Museums

1 - Musee de l’Illusion de Paris

An enchanting museum with numerous interactive displays, focusing on visual illusions, this museum is a great destination to explore for kids. Providing mind-bending experiences that challenge general perceptions, this museum of Illusions is a famous museum in France where you cannot miss captivating installations, gravity-defying exhibitions and optical illusions.

• Address: Located at 98 rue Saint Denis, Paris 75001. You can reach the nearest metro station, Chatelet, from Lines 1, 4, 7, 11 or 14 and walk a few minutes up to the museum. Bus lines 21, 38, 69 and 72 also run nearby.
• Hours of Operation: Open daily 10.00 AM to 9.00 PM

Special Events and Night Tours in France Museums

Louvre at Night

Every Friday, the Louvre Museum opens till late, up to 9.00 pm. Visitors can enjoy the unique illumination of the museum during night visits here. Also, during night visits, there are fewer crowds, and access to the most secluded parts of the museum is available. Special events like themed nights and concerts are also held at this museum.

Special Events and Night Tours

Museums like Centre Pompidou and Musee d’Orsay conduct special events from time to time, like special events, themed nights, concerts, etc.

La Nuit Europeenne des Musees

In this special event, various museums in France (and all of Europe) remain open till late on the third Saturday of every May. This also comes with offers like reduced fees, free admission, etc.