Does the Paris Museum Pass Include the Petit Palais?
The Petit Palais’s permanent collection is free for everyone — so you don’t need the pass for it. This City of Paris fine-arts museum charges only for its temporary exhibitions, which the pass doesn’t cover. Here’s what’s free, what’s paid, and how the Petit Palais fits a pass trip.
The short answer
The Petit Palais, the City of Paris’s Museum of Fine Arts, offers free entry to its permanent collection for all visitors — no pass or ticket needed. The Paris Museum Pass isn’t required here; you simply walk in. Only its temporary exhibitions are ticketed, and those aren’t covered by the pass.
Why it’s not on the pass
The Petit Palais belongs to the City of Paris’s museum network, whose permanent collections are free to all — separate from the national pass. So rather than being a paid site the pass unlocks, it’s simply free anyway, which is even better for your budget.
What you’ll see
Housed in a gorgeous 1900 Beaux-Arts palace with a hidden garden courtyard, the Petit Palais spans antiquity to the early 20th century — paintings, sculpture, decorative arts and a lovely café. It’s a refined, uncrowded pleasure, and one of the best free museums in Paris.
Temporary exhibitions cost extra
While the permanent collection is free, the Petit Palais’s special temporary exhibitions are ticketed separately, and the pass doesn’t cover them — consistent with the pass excluding temporary shows everywhere. If a particular exhibition draws you, budget for that ticket on its own.
Pair it with the pass
The Petit Palais sits near the Champs-Élysées, across from the Grand Palais and close to the pass-included Arc de Triomphe. You can enjoy its free galleries and then climb the Arc on your pass, combining a free museum with a paid monument for an efficient, budget-smart day.
Free museums lower your costs
The Petit Palais is one of several City of Paris museums with free permanent collections — alongside the Carnavalet, the Musée d’Art Moderne and others. Building these free gems into your trip on non-pass days, or around pass sites, stretches your budget while still showing you world-class art.
What the pass does cover
The pass covers over 50 ticketed museums and monuments — the Louvre, Orsay, Versailles, Sainte-Chapelle, the Arc de Triomphe and more. Use it for those paid sites, and treat the free Petit Palais as a no-cost bonus that needs no pass at all.
Tips for your visit
- Just walk in — the permanent collection is free for all.
- Don’t buy a pass for it — it’s free anyway.
- Pay separately only for temporary exhibitions.
- Enjoy the garden café in the courtyard.
- Pair it with the Arc de Triomphe on your pass.
Buy your Paris Museum Pass for the ticketed museums
Use your Paris Museum Pass for the paid museums and monuments — buy it online in advance and book your free timed slots — and enjoy the free Petit Palais alongside. Secure your pass and combine paid icons with free city gems.
Frequently asked questions
Does the pass include the Petit Palais?
Its permanent collection is free for all, so no pass is needed; temporary shows are paid and not covered.
Do I need a ticket for the permanent collection?
No — it’s free for everyone.
What’s inside?
Fine arts from antiquity to the early 20th century, in a Beaux-Arts palace.
Are temporary exhibitions covered?
No — those are ticketed separately.
What’s nearby on the pass?
The Arc de Triomphe, up the Champs-Élysées.
Is the pass still worth it?
Yes — for the paid sites; the Petit Palais is a free bonus.