Children · Students · Under 26 · 2026 Guide
Does My Child Need a Paris Museum Pass?
Under 18s enter all Paris national museums free. EU residents under 26 also enter free. Here’s exactly who needs a pass — and who doesn’t.
✅ Short Answer
Children under 18 never need the Paris Museum Pass. They enter all French national museums free, regardless of nationality — no ticket, no pass, no booking required for entry. EU residents aged 18–25 (up to and including age 25) also enter all French national museums free — but must show valid EU proof of age and residency. Everyone else aged 18 and over pays the standard adult rate, and the Museum Pass is the most efficient way to cover multiple venues.
Under 18 · All nationalities
Children & Teenagers
Always Free
No pass needed. No ticket needed. Just turn up.
- Free entry to all 50+ Paris Museum Pass venues — Louvre, Versailles, Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, and every national museum
- Applies regardless of nationality — French, British, American, Australian, everyone
- No advance booking required solely for entry — just show ID at the door
- The under-18 free rule applies on your date of visit, not your birthday in that year
Proof required: Passport, national ID card, or any official document showing date of birth. Museum staff may ask at the entrance — always carry ID for children.
Age 18–25 · EU/EEA residents only
EU & EEA Residents Under 26
Free — with proof
Free entry, but you must show valid EU/EEA proof of residency and age.
- Free entry to all French national museums if you are resident in the EU or EEA and aged 18–25 (under 26)
- This is residency-based, not citizenship-based — you must be resident in an EU/EEA country, not just hold an EU passport
- You must show an EU/EEA national ID card, passport, or valid residence permit proving your age and EU/EEA address
- Turns 26? Free entry applies up to and including your 25th birthday; the day you turn 26 you pay full price
Proof required: EU/EEA national ID card or passport (showing nationality) plus proof of current residency — e.g. a student card with address, or European Health Insurance Card. Requirements vary by venue; bring both to be safe.
Age 18+ · Non-EU · or 26+ EU residents
Adults — Standard Pricing
Pass Recommended
Full adult pricing applies. The Museum Pass is almost always better value than individual tickets.
- No student discount exists on the Museum Pass — the price is the same for all adults
- No senior discount on the pass either — standard adult pricing for all ages 18+
- The Museum Pass (€90 for 2 days) pays for itself at 4–5 major venues — see our break-even calculator
- Non-EU students and young travellers pay full adult Museum Pass price
Exception: Some individual museums offer reduced pricing for students with an ISIC card or similar — but this varies by venue and is not guaranteed across all 50+ Museum Pass sites.
Buy the Museum Pass →
EU / EEA Under 26 — In Detail
Who Exactly Qualifies for Free EU Under-26 Entry?
This is the rule that causes the most confusion. It’s not about citizenship — it’s about residency. Here’s what qualifies and what doesn’t.
Who qualifies for free entry
- Citizens of EU/EEA countries aged 18–25 who are resident in the EU/EEA
- Students enrolled at a university in the EU/EEA, aged under 26
- Non-EU nationals who are legal residents of an EU/EEA country, aged under 26
- French residents under 26 of any nationality
- Erasmus exchange students under 26 studying anywhere in the EU/EEA
Who does not qualify
- Non-EU nationals under 26 living outside the EU — American, British, Australian, Canadian students, etc.
- UK nationals under 26 — the UK left the EU in 2020; British visitors no longer qualify regardless of age
- EU citizens aged 26 and over — the free entry ends the day you turn 26
- EU passport holders living outside the EU (e.g. a French citizen living in New York)
- Visitors who simply hold an ISIC student card with no EU/EEA residency
EU/EEA countries included
Residents of these 30 countries qualify for the under-26 free entry rule:
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland ✦
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein ✦
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway ✦
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
✦ EEA (not EU) members. UK not included since 2020.
Important practical note: While the under-18 rule is universally enforced across all venues, the EU under-26 rule application can vary at individual museums. Most large national museums apply it consistently, but some venues may ask for more documentation than others. Always carry your national ID card plus one additional proof of residency (student card, EHIC, or utility bill). If turned away at one venue, it’s worth politely asking for a supervisor — the rule exists and is national policy.
Venue by Venue
Free Entry by Age Group — Key Venues
How the age rules apply at the most popular Paris Museum Pass venues.
| Museum / Monument | Under 18 All nationalities |
EU/EEA Under 26 Residents only |
18+ Non-EU or 26+ EU |
Individual Adult Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Louvre Advance timed slot required for all |
✓ Free | ✓ Free | Pays | €32 |
Palace of Versailles Book timed slot in advance |
✓ Free | ✓ Free | Pays | €21 |
Musée d’Orsay |
✓ Free | ✓ Free | Pays | €16 |
Arc de Triomphe |
✓ Free | ✓ Free | Pays | €16 |
Sainte-Chapelle |
✓ Free | ✓ Free | Pays | €22 |
Musée Rodin |
✓ Free | ✓ Free | Pays | €14 |
Musée des Invalides Napoleon’s Tomb |
✓ Free | ✓ Free | Pays | €15 |
Panthéon |
✓ Free | ✓ Free | Pays | €13 |
Eiffel Tower Not a Museum Pass venue |
Reduced rate | Pays | Pays | €29 |
| Free entry rules apply to permanent collections only. Temporary and special exhibitions carry separate charges for all ages, even at national museums. | ||||
Eiffel Tower note: The Eiffel Tower is not a French national museum — it’s managed by the Société d’exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE). Children under 4 enter free; ages 4–11 receive a reduced rate; ages 12–24 pay a youth rate. These discounts are independent of the Museum Pass and the EU under-26 rule.
Family Planner
How Many Adult Passes Does Your Family Need?
Children under 18 enter free — so you only pay for adults. Use this to work out your family’s Museum Pass cost.
Your group
Enter your group composition — children under 18 are free, so only adults need passes.
Adults (18+)
Children under 18
EU under-26 in group
Pass duration
Adults needing a pass
2
Children under 18 (no pass needed)
0 — free entry
EU residents under 26 (no pass needed)
0 — free entry
Total Museum Pass cost for your group
€180
2 adults × €90 (2-Day pass)
On the Ground
Practical Tips for Families & Young Visitors
Things to know before you arrive at the museum entrance.
Always carry ID for children
Museums can and do ask for proof of age for children claiming free entry. A passport or national ID card is the safest option. A birth certificate can work but is less commonly accepted at the door.
Children still need timed slots
Free entry doesn’t mean no planning. At the Louvre and Versailles, all visitors — including those entering free — need a timed entry reservation. Book via the museum’s official site. See our mandatory reservations guide →
EU under-26: bring two documents
Bring both your national ID (or passport showing EU nationality) and a proof of current residency — a student card with your address, a European Health Insurance Card, or a utility bill works well.
British visitors: no under-26 discount
Since Brexit, UK nationals are no longer EEA residents and do not qualify for the EU under-26 free entry rule — regardless of age. British under-26s visiting Paris pay full adult admission or buy the Museum Pass.
Family value tip
For a family of 2 adults + 2 children under 18, you only buy 2 adult Museum Passes. At €90 each (2-Day), that’s €180 for the family to access 50+ museums — versus €90+ per adult in individual tickets at just 4 venues.
Non-EU students: check venue by venue
There’s no universal student discount on the Museum Pass. However, individual museums sometimes offer reduced admission for ISIC cardholders. It varies significantly by venue — the Museum Pass is usually simpler and better value for multi-venue trips.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Children under 18 enter all French national museums free, regardless of nationality. This includes the Louvre, Versailles, Musée d’Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, Sainte-Chapelle, Rodin, and all 50+ Paris Museum Pass venues. No pass is needed, no ticket is needed — just show up with proof of age (passport or national ID). Note that timed entry reservations may still be required at busy venues like the Louvre and Versailles — the reservation is free for children, but must still be booked in advance.
No — there is no discounted version of the Museum Pass for students. The price is the same for all adults (€90 for 2 days, €109 for 4 days, €139 for 6 days). However, EU and EEA residents aged under 26 — which includes many students — enter all French national museums free without any pass at all. If you’re a non-EU student under 26, you pay the full adult pass price, though some individual museums offer reduced admission with an ISIC card that you can check at each venue.
No, not for entry itself. As an EU resident under 26, you enter all French national museums free. You’ll need to show your German ID card or passport as proof of EU nationality and residency. You might also want to carry a second proof of residency (student card, EHIC, or similar). You will still need to book timed entry reservations at venues like the Louvre and Versailles — the reservation is free, but must be booked in advance via each museum’s official booking system.
No. The EU/EEA under-26 free entry rule requires residency in an EU or EEA member state. Since the UK left the EU in 2020, British nationals are not EEA residents and do not qualify — regardless of age. A 22-year-old British visitor pays the full adult admission or should consider the Museum Pass if visiting multiple venues. The pass at €90 for 2 days is good value once you visit 4 or more sites.
The free entry rule for under-18s is assessed on the date of each visit, not across a whole trip. If your child visits a museum before their 18th birthday, they enter free. On or after their 18th birthday, they pay adult admission. If your child turns 18 partway through a multi-day Museum Pass period, they technically need an adult pass for the days after their birthday. In practice, if this is a grey area for your trip, carrying a Museum Pass for them avoids any potential issues at the door.
Yes — at venues that require timed entry reservations (Louvre, Versailles, Sainte-Chapelle), all visitors including children must have a timed slot. The reservation itself is free for children entering free. You book the same way as adult Museum Pass holders — via the museum’s official website — and select the free child entry option. Without a timed slot, even children with free entry may not be admitted during busy periods. See our mandatory reservations guide for step-by-step instructions.
No — there is no senior discount on the Museum Pass. The price is the same for all adults regardless of age. Some individual museums offer reduced admission for visitors over 65 with relevant ID, but this varies by venue and is not a pass-wide benefit. For seniors visiting multiple museums, the Museum Pass is still usually the most cost-effective option once you plan to visit 4 or more venues.
Ready to Plan Your Family’s Paris Trip?
Children under 18 enter free. Adults need the pass. Instant digital delivery — from €90 per adult.