How the Digital Paris Museum Pass Works at the Entrance (Step by Step)
Using a digital Paris Museum Pass is simple: you receive a QR code by email, save it to your phone, and show it at each site’s pass-holder entrance to be scanned. At sites needing a reservation, you show both your pass and your timed-slot confirmation. It activates on your first scan. Here’s exactly how it works at the gate, step by step.
What you receive when you buy
After purchase, your digital pass arrives by email, usually as a QR code or a link to one. Save it to your phone — screenshot it or add it to your wallet app — so you can show it offline, without relying on signal at the entrance. There’s nothing to print and nothing to collect.
At the entrance, step by step
- Go to the pass-holder or priority entrance, not the ticket-buying queue.
- Open your pass QR code on your phone (brightness up).
- Show it to staff to be scanned.
- Show your timed-slot confirmation too, at sites that require one.
- Proceed through security, then enter.
It activates on the first scan
Your consecutive-day clock starts the first time your pass is scanned at a site — not when you bought it. So your very first scan begins the validity period. Activate it at the start of a full sightseeing day, ideally at opening, to get maximum value from day one.
Pass plus reservation at certain sites
At the sites that require a timed slot — the Louvre, Versailles, Sainte-Chapelle, the Orangerie and (from March 2026) the Orsay — you’ll show two things: your pass QR (which covers entry) and your reservation confirmation (which covers the time). Have both ready on your phone, as staff may check each separately.
Practical tips for phone scanning
- Turn your screen brightness up so scanners read the code.
- Save codes offline — screenshots or a wallet app.
- Carry a power bank for long sightseeing days.
- Keep pass and reservation confirmations in one easy place.
- Have it open before you reach the desk to keep queues moving.
What about security screening?
The digital pass and your reservation get you past the ticket queue, but everyone still passes through security screening. Arrive a little before your slot, travel light and avoid large bags (there are size limits), so you clear security comfortably and don’t risk missing a reserved time.
One scan per site
Remember the pass allows a single entry per attraction, so each site scans your pass once. You can’t re-enter the same museum later in your pass period, but you can visit many different included sites across your days. Plan to see each site fully in one visit.
If your phone fails
To avoid trouble, keep a backup: a screenshot saved offline, or your confirmation email accessible. If your battery dies or signal drops, an offline copy of the QR code keeps you moving. Some travellers also email the codes to a companion’s phone as a safeguard for the day.
Why digital is so convenient
The digital pass removes shipping, collection and printing, puts everything on the device you’re already carrying, and pairs naturally with your phone-based reservations. For most travellers — especially those arriving from abroad — it’s the smoothest way to carry and use the pass across a busy trip.
A quick gate-day routine
- Before you leave your hotel, check the day’s reservation times.
- Charge your phone and pack a power bank.
- Open the pass QR and reservation as you approach each site.
- Turn brightness up and head to the pass-holder entrance.
- Scan, clear security, and enjoy — then repeat at the next site.
Buy your digital Paris Museum Pass
For the easiest experience, buy your digital Paris Museum Pass online in advance, save it to your phone, and book your free timed slots. Secure your pass and breeze through the pass-holder entrances, QR code in hand.
Frequently asked questions
How does the digital pass work at the gate?
You show its QR code on your phone at the pass-holder entrance to be scanned.
When does it activate?
On your first scan at a site, then it runs for consecutive days.
Do I show anything else at reserved sites?
Yes — both your pass QR and your timed-slot confirmation.
Do I still go through security?
Yes — the pass skips the ticket queue, not security screening.
What if my phone dies?
Keep an offline screenshot or backup of the QR codes.
Can I re-enter a site?
No — the pass allows one entry per attraction.