The history of Paris in two Marais mansions, and the permanent collection is free. Here is the plan.
The short version
- The permanent collection is free, no booking needed; walk in at 23 rue de Sévigné. Details at carnavalet.paris.fr.
- Closed Mondays, plus January 1, May 1 and December 25. Open 10:00 to 18:00 Tuesday through Sunday, last entry 17:15, and the rooms close at 17:45.
- The exhibition is the only thing that costs money: €15, €13 reduced, free under 18, and you should book a time slot online because the online quota is what guarantees entry.
- Take metro line 1 to Saint-Paul or line 8 to Chemin Vert; either is a short walk. The Place des Vosges is around the corner.
- Lockers are behind the ticket desk. Suitcases and large bags are turned away, so come with a handbag or a small daypack.
- Ninety minutes for the highlights: the Revolution rooms, Proust’s bedroom, the Fouquet jewelry shop by Mucha. Longer if you read the labels, and there are 3,800 things on the walls.
Getting in
Walk in. The permanent collection is free for everyone, every open day, with no ticket and no time slot. The desk sells exhibition tickets and the lockers behind it are self-service; collect your things the same day.
The exhibition is €15 full price, €13 reduced, and free under 18; the 18 to 26 reduced rate needs ID and proof of residence. Book a time slot online. The museum sells leftover slots at the desk, but it says plainly that only advance booking guarantees entry, and last admission to the exhibition is 16:45.
If you want the Marais explained as you walk it, our private Marais food tour is two and a half hours and ten tastings with a full bistro lunch, meeting in front of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis church on rue Saint-Antoine, a few minutes from the museum door. Do the tour at lunch and the Carnavalet after.
The visit
The museum fills two mansions. The Hôtel Carnavalet was Madame de Sévigné’s home from 1677 until her death in 1696, and her portrait hangs inside; the Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau next door was joined to it in 1989. The route runs in order from a Neolithic dugout canoe to the present day.
If you have ninety minutes, go straight for three things. The Revolution rooms, with Le Barbier’s painting of the Declaration of the Rights of Man. Marcel Proust’s bedroom. And the Fouquet jewelry shop, the complete Art Nouveau interior Alphonse Mucha designed in 1901, rebuilt room and all.
Paris à l’arraché, the exhibition on Jacques Villeglé and urban art, runs October 14, 2026 to February 14, 2027. Villeglé made his pictures from layered posters torn off Paris walls, and the show marks a hundred years since his birth.
Three small rooms are not reachable by wheelchair; the rest of the museum is, with a lift to the accessible toilets in the basement.
When to go
A weekday after 14:00. The Carnavalet is free, so weekend afternoons fill up with Parisians, and Tuesday through Friday after lunch is the quiet stretch.
It is an indoor museum, so the weather matters less than at Versailles. Rainy-day Paris is a good Carnavalet day, and the Place des Vosges arcades next door keep you dry on the way out.
Closed Mondays, January 1, May 1 and December 25. A Monday in the Marais is for the shops and the Jewish quarter on rue des Rosiers; come back for the museum on Tuesday.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Musée Carnavalet really free?
Yes, the permanent collection is free for everyone, no booking required, every day it is open. Only the temporary exhibition is ticketed, at €15 full price, €13 reduced, and free under 18.
How long does the Carnavalet take?
Ninety minutes for the highlights, three hours if you read. With 3,800 objects across two mansions, nobody sees it all in one visit, and because it is free you can come back for the rooms you skipped.
Can I bring a suitcase or a backpack?
No suitcases or large bags; the museum turns them away. Handbags and small bags worn in front are fine, and self-service lockers behind the ticket desk hold the rest. Collect everything the same day.
Which metro stop is closest?
Saint-Paul on line 1 and Chemin Vert on line 8 are the closest. Bréguet-Sabin on line 5 and Pont-Marie on line 7 also work, and buses 29, 69, 76, 91 and 96 stop nearby.
Is there a tour that covers the Marais?
Yes. Our half-day Paris walking tour can be routed through the Marais: the medieval streets, the Place des Vosges, the Jewish quarter, about three hours with a private guide, start times from 9:00 to 18:00. Finish at the Carnavalet door and go in by yourselves, since the collection is free.
Our Most Popular Day Trips From Paris
Explore the Marais through its flavors! Sample French delicacies while strolling historic Jewish quarters and chic boutiques.
Half a day on foot with a private guide, routed around what you want to see.
