Take in the Best Paris Museums – for Free!

1 August 2014

Free Paris Museum Day on the First Sunday of Every Month

In the mood for some serious museum exploring? Well, there are few cities on earth that can provide such an array of historic museums as the French capital. Paris is home to well over 100 museums, including the world famous Louvre, Musée d'Orsay and Centre Pompidou. To tempt you even more, the best museums in the city open their doors for free on the first Sunday of every month (the next one takes place on the 5th October).

Dozens of iconic and innovative museums partake in this popular Parisian event. Locals and tourists alike file in to exhibitions across the 20 arrondissements to see some of the world's most important pieces of art, delve into the colourful history of France and even learn about science and the world of tomorrow. Here's a few of our recommendations to visit on the next free museum Sunday:

Albert Kahn Museum

Make your way out to the 16th arrondissement of Paris and you'll find the picturesque Albert Kahn Museum. A world away from the imposing architecture that houses the majority of Paris' museums, this attraction is more of a garden than a traditional museum. Set across 10 peaceful acres, it's made up of many separate gardens, each with a national theme (the Japanese garden is a particular highlight). In addition to this, there's an interesting photography exhibit within the house at the centre of the gardens.

Musée de quai Branly

Another of the museums that breaks away from the splendour and tradition of the main Parisian museums and galleries. The Musée de quai Branly focuses on non-European cultures, including statues from Mali, costumes and other clothing from Vietnam and much more from the Far East, South America and Africa. The building that contains these treasures is itself a sight to behold, including its spectacular 'Green Wall', an 800-foot section of the building covered in vegetation.

The Louvre

We know you've probably already heard of the hugely famous art gallery, and if you've been to Paris before, you've probably visited it. It is both the world's largest museum, with over 60,000 square-feet of exhibition space, and the most popular, with 9.7million visitors in 2012. It's simply impossible to leave the Louvre off any self-respecting list of Paris museums. If you're thinking of making a visit on Sunday, be sure to get there early to beat the inevitable queues.

In addition to our three recommendations, other museums taking part in the monthly free Sundays event include the National Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Nature and Hunting, National Museum of the Orangery, House of Augustus Rodin, Museum of Arts and Crafts, National Archaeology Museum and many more.

Even if you aren't in Paris for one of the free Sunday events, the museums are definitely worth visiting. With museums spread out across the city, a central hotel is a must if you want to be able to make your way around Paris as quickly and simply as possible. The Hotel Amarante Champs-Elysées is located just a few minutes stroll from the Arc de Triomphe, within easy walking distance from a number of Metro stations. If you're thinking of staying with us, be sure to take a look at our great-value offers.