Louvre Museum Tickets: Hours, Prices and Tips (2026)
Louvre Museum tickets are essentially your passport to one of the most jaw-dropping places you will ever set foot in. That first moment — standing beneath I.M. Pei glass pyramid,...
tyl
June 25, 2026
Louvre Museum tickets are essentially your passport to one of the most jaw-dropping places you will ever set foot in. That first moment — standing beneath I.M. Pei glass pyramid, ticket in hand, knowing the Mona Lisa is somewhere inside — does not get old, no matter how many times you have seen it in photographs.
But let’s be real: getting there without a plan can turn what should be a highlight of your Paris trip into a sweaty, frustrating queue nightmare. This guide gives you everything you actually need: current 2026 prices, opening hours, how to book, and the tips that make a real difference on the day.
What Do Louvre Museum Entry Tickets Actually Cover?
When you buy Louvre Museum entry tickets, you are getting access to the whole permanent collection — all three wings (Denon, Sully, Richelieu), all four floors, and somewhere north of 35,000 works spanning prehistory to the 19th century. Painting, sculpture, antiquities, Islamic art, decorative arts — it’s all in there.
There is a bonus most visitors don’t know about: your ticket also covers entry to the Musée National Eugène-Delacroix on the same day, or the following day if it’s open. Temporary exhibitions are a separate purchase — usually an extra €4 to €6 — so factor in if you are planning to catch something specific like the Michelangelo and Rodin show running through July 2026.
Louvre Museum Ticket Prices: What You’ll Pay in 2026?
One of the bigger changes this year: the Louvre introduced dual pricing for the first time in January 2026. EEA residents now pay a lower rate than visitors from outside Europe — a significant shift that’s worth knowing about before you book.
Visitor Type
Ticket Price
Notes
Non-EEA Adult
€32
Standard full-price entry
EEA Resident Adult
€22
Valid EU/EEA photo ID required
Under 18 (all nationalities)
Free
Photo ID showing date of birth needed
EU/EEA residents aged 18–25
Free
Valid EEA photo ID required
First Friday of month (after 6 PM)
Free for all
Excludes July and August
Bastille Day (14 July)
Free for all
Annual free day
Temporary Exhibition Add-on
+€4–€6
Booked separately at checkout
Guided Tour (small group)
€49–€95
Usually includes skip-the-line entry
Worth knowing: tickets are non-refundable and tied to a specific date and time. Once you have booked, that slot is locked in — the Louvre won’t let you swap it unless they cancel or change something on their end.
Opening Hours: When Is the Louvre Open?
The museum runs on a fairly straightforward schedule, with one day off per week — Tuesday. Here is how the week breaks down:
A genuine tip on those late evenings: Wednesday and Friday nights are some of the best times to visit. Crowds thin out noticeably after 6 PM, the pace slows down, and there is something almost atmospheric about wandering the galleries with fewer people around. If your schedule allows it, an evening visit is well worth it.
Can I Buy Louvre Museum Tickets Online?
Can you buy Louvre Museum tickets online? Yes — and honestly, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t. Turn up without a booking on a busy summer Saturday and you’re looking at queues that routinely stretch past 60 to 90 minutes. Book online and you get a timed entry slot, which means you walk straight to the pre-booked lane at the Pyramid entrance and skip the general wait entirely.
You can book directly through the official Louvre site at ticket.louvre.fr. Third-party platforms like TickYourList are another solid option — they carry the same official inventory and often add perks the official site doesn’t, like free cancellation up to 24 hours before and instant mobile tickets.
One thing to watch out for: the Louvre has flagged a rise in mirror sites and dodgy resellers. If a site is offering suspiciously cheap tickets or ‘guaranteed skip-the-line’ access from a street vendor, walk away. You could end up being refused entry entirely.
How to Book Louvre Museum Tickets Online?
The actual process is quick — five minutes, maybe less once you know what you are doing:
Head to ticket.louvre.fr or a trusted partner like TickYourList
Pick your date and time slot — in summer, these go fast, so aim to book at least a week ahead
Select your ticket type (standard adult, free admission, guided tour)
Pay, and you will get a QR code confirmation by email
On the day, go to the timed-entry lane at the Pyramid entrance, scan your code, and you are through
That’s it. The time you spend booking — five minutes — buys you back potentially an hour or more on the day. Not a bad trade.
When Can You Visit the Louvre for Free?
The Louvre is surprisingly generous with free admission. Here is who gets in without paying:
Children under 18 (any nationality) — free every day, no questions asked
EEA residents under 26— free with valid photo ID
People with disabilities and one carer — free
Job seekers with valid supporting documentation — free
First Friday of each month after 6:00 PM — free for everyone (not July or August)
14 July (Bastille Day) — free for everyone
On those free Friday evenings: they are popular, but they are genuinely worth it. Try to arrive before 7 PM, and — importantly — still book a free timed-entry slot online. Even visitors on free admission are expected to reserve in advance. It takes two minutes and guarantees you actually get in.
Are Louvre Museum Tickets Worth It?
Are Louvre Museum tickets worth it? Short answer: yes, completely. Longer answer: the collection is so vast and so extraordinary that €32 for unlimited access to the world’s largest museum is, frankly, remarkable value. You are not just there for the Mona Lisa, though that will be on most people’s list. The Egyptian antiquities in the Sully Wing regularly surprise people — many visitors say it ends up being their favourite part.
The Richelieu Wing is where you escape the crowds and find the Northern European masters: Vermeer, Rembrandt, and the kind of rooms you can actually breathe in. If you want someone to make sense of it all for you, a guided tour is worth the extra spend.
Small-group tours run roughly €49 to €95 and include a guide who knows the building inside out — they will get you to the right rooms, tell you the stories behind what you are looking at, and stop you from accidentally missing the Winged Victory because you went left instead of right in Denon. It happens. A lot.
Tips That Will Actually Make a Difference
Use the Carrousel du Louvre entrance
The Pyramid is the iconic way in, but the underground Carrousel entrance — reachable from Metro Line 1 — opens at 7 AM and is consistently less packed. It leads directly into the Napoleon Hall and completely bypasses the Pyramid queue. If you are not fussed about the dramatic entrance moment, this is the smarter move.
Download the official app before you leave your hotel
The Louvre is enormous and genuinely confusing to navigate. The official app has a detailed map of every wing and department, and it works offline. Without it, you will get lost. Download it at home — don’t rely on museum Wi-Fi to sort you out once you are inside.
Know what you want to see before you arrive
Nobody sees everything in one visit. First-timers should focus on three anchors: the Winged Victory of Samothrace (Denon Wing staircase), the Mona Lisa (Denon, Room 711 — and don’t forget to turn around for The Wedding at Cana, the largest painting in the museum), and the Venus de Milo (Sully Wing). Plan a rough route, stay flexible, and let yourself get a bit lost in between.
Remember: once you leave, you are out
The Louvre has a firm no-re-entry policy. Once you walk out, your ticket is done. If you are planning a long visit, sort out food inside — there are several cafés and restaurants throughout the museum, so you won’t go hungry.
Book temporary exhibitions separately
The Hall Napoléon exhibitions require their own time-slot booking on top of your standard entry. If you want to catch something like the Michelangelo and Rodin show (on until 20 July 2026), book that separately when you purchase your main ticket.
Where to Get Louvre Tickets Paris Travellers Can Rely On?
There are a few trustworthy ways to get your hands on tickets:
Official Louvre site: ticket.louvre.fr. No service fees, but limited cancellation flexibility once booked.
TickYourList: a reliable experiences and ticketing platform with flexible booking options, mobile tickets, and good customer support for international visitors.
Paris Museum Pass: covers 50+ museums and sites across Paris for 2, 4, or 6 days. The Louvre is included, but you will still need to reserve a free timed slot online before you go.
Whichever route you go, double-check the total price at checkout and confirm the date and time slot before you confirm payment. With timed-entry tickets, the details matter.
Go Book Those Tickets
The Louvre really does live up to the reputation but the difference between a stressful visit and an unforgettable one often comes down to a bit of preparation. Book your Louvre Museum tickets online early, pick your entrance wisely, and give yourself enough time to properly explore.
It is one of those rare experiences that genuinely stays with you. Go.
FAQs
How much do Louvre Museum tickets cost in 2026?
Louvre Museum ticket prices start at €22 for EEA residents and €32 for non-EEA adults. Visitors under 18 and eligible EU/EEA residents aged 18–25 receive free admission with valid identification.
Can I buy Louvre Museum tickets online?
Yes. Booking Louvre Museum tickets online is recommended because it guarantees a timed entry slot, reduces waiting time, and helps secure admission during busy travel seasons when tickets often sell out.
What are the Louvre Museum opening hours?
The Louvre Museum is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. On Wednesdays and Fridays, it stays open until 9:45 PM. The museum is closed every Tuesday.
Are Louvre Museum tickets refundable?
No. Standard Louvre Museum tickets are generally non-refundable and valid only for the selected date and time slot. Always review the cancellation policy before booking, especially when purchasing through third-party ticket providers.
When can you visit the Louvre Museum for free?
The Louvre offers free admission to visitors under 18, eligible EU/EEA residents aged 18–25, visitors with disabilities, and everyone on the first Friday evening of most months and Bastille Day (14 July).
How long should I spend at the Louvre Museum?
Most visitors spend 3 to 4 hours exploring the Louvre Museum. If you want to see major masterpieces and several galleries without rushing, plan at least half a day for your visit.
Which entrance is best for the Louvre Museum?
The Carrousel du Louvre entrance is often the best choice because it usually has shorter queues than the Pyramid entrance. Visitors with timed-entry tickets can also enter more quickly during peak hours.
