Paris · Le Marais, 3rd arrondissement · Free permanent collection
Musée Carnavalet: The Free Museum of Paris History
Two Marais mansions filled with the story of Paris — from Roman Lutetia and the Revolution to Belle Époque shopfronts and Proust's bedroom. The permanent collection is free.
By the AllTrips Editorial Team ·
Musée Carnavalet at a glance
Area: Le Marais, 3rd arrondissement (23 Rue de Sévigné). Allow: 1.5–2.5 hours. Entry: the permanent collection is free; temporary exhibitions are paid. Nearby: Place des Vosges and the Picasso Museum.
Carnavalet is the City of Paris's own history museum. Rather than one famous masterpiece, it tells the story of the city through paintings, shop signs, scale models, furniture and entire rooms rebuilt inside two historic mansions — a good first museum if you want Paris to make sense before you explore it.
What is there to see?
Paris from the beginning. The basement rooms hold prehistoric canoes found at Bercy and objects from Gallo-Roman Lutetia, the settlement that became Paris.
The Revolution rooms. Carnavalet has one of the richest Revolution collections anywhere: models of the Bastille carved from its own stones, portraits, and objects linked to the royal family's imprisonment.
Reconstructed interiors. Highlights include the Art Nouveau jewellery shop designed by Alphonse Mucha for Georges Fouquet, the Wendel ballroom painted by José Maria Sert, and Marcel Proust's cork-lined bedroom furniture.
Shop signs and courtyards. The collection of old painted and wrought-iron shop signs is a favourite, and the formal courtyard gardens are a calm place to pause between rooms.
Museum history
The Hôtel Carnavalet was built in the 1540s and later remodelled by François Mansart. The letter-writer Madame de Sévigné rented it from 1677 until her death in 1696. The City of Paris bought the mansion in 1866 and opened the museum in 1880; the neighbouring Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau was added in 1989.
After a four-year renovation the museum reopened in May 2021 with a fully reworked, chronological route and better accessibility.
Free entry and optional tickets
The permanent collection is free for everyone. Temporary exhibitions are charged separately, and at busy periods the museum may ask visitors to reserve a free timed slot on its official site.
Exhibitions and tours · affiliate link
Musée Carnavalet on Tiqets
See paid options for the Musée Carnavalet, such as temporary exhibitions or guided visits. You do not need a ticket for the free permanent collection; check each offer's inclusions before booking.
See Carnavalet options on TiqetsThis Tiqets link is an affiliate link: AllTrips may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The museum's permanent collection is free.
Planning your visit
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, and closed Mondays. Weekday mornings are quietest; weekend afternoons are busiest. The entrance is at 23 Rue de Sévigné, and bags go through a security check.
The nearest metro stations are Saint-Paul (line 1) and Chemin Vert (line 8), both about a five-minute walk.
The Musée Carnavalet in photos
What is nearby?
The Place des Vosges is a five-minute walk east, and the Picasso Museum is a few streets north. Rue des Francs-Bourgeois leads into the heart of the Marais shops. See the whole neighbourhood on our Paris attractions map.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Musée Carnavalet free?
Yes. The permanent collection is free for everyone, as at all City of Paris museums. Temporary exhibitions are paid, and you may be asked to reserve a free timed slot at busy times.
What does the Tiqets link offer?
It opens the Musée Carnavalet page on Tiqets, where you can book paid options such as temporary-exhibition tickets or guided visits. You do not need it for the free permanent collection; check what each offer includes before booking.
What are the Musée Carnavalet opening hours?
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, and closed on Mondays and some public holidays. Check the official site before visiting.
What is the Musée Carnavalet about?
It is the museum of the history of Paris, covering the city from prehistory and Roman Lutetia through the Revolution and the Belle Époque to the present, using paintings, signs, models, furniture and reconstructed interiors.
How long should I spend at the Musée Carnavalet?
Allow 1.5–2.5 hours for the highlights. Visitors with a strong interest in French history can easily spend half a day.
Official sources
Reviewed September 2026. Hours and exhibitions change; check the official site before travel.