The Louvre is the busiest museum in the world, which means visiting requires planning. Walk up on a summer Saturday without a booking and you’re looking at minimum 60–90+ minutes in line. Book online in advance and you have a timed entry that allows you to walk in according to your booking. Here’s everything you need to know.
🎫 Louvre tickets at a glance (2026)
Standard adult ticket: €22 EU Adult | €32 Non EU Adult | Buy online for timed entry
Children under 18: Free (every day, regardless of EU/non EU)
EU residents under 26: Free (bring valid EU ID)
Free for everyone: First Friday of the month after 6pm (not July/August) + Bastille Day (July 14)
Opening hours: 9am–6pm | Closed Tuesday | Late night Wed & Fri until 9:45pm
Standard timed-entry ticket — the most popular option
The standard adult ticket costs €32 (non EU resident) and covers the entire permanent collection: all three wings (Denon, Sully, Richelieu), all four floors, all 35,000+ works. Temporary exhibitions require a separate ticket.
When you book online at the Louvre museum site, you receive a timed entry slot — this means you arrive within a set 30-minute window and go straight through the timed-entry lane, bypassing the lines for general entry. In peak season (April–October), this can save you 60–90 minutes (or more) waiting in line.
Louvre guided tours — Enjoy the Experience
The most popular option for first-time visitors is a guided tour with timed entry included. For typically €25-€50 more than a standard ticket, you get expert guidance through the highlights — no navigational stress, no missing key works, and a real story behind what you’re seeing.
Small group tours (up to 12 people) start from around €149 per person. Private tours (your group only) start from around €313. You can check prices and availability with specific tour operators.
Louvre Tour and Ticket Options Compared
| Option | Price | Best For | Timed Entry? | Where To Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louvre Museum | €22-€32 | Self-guided visitor and return visitors | Yes | Louvre Museum |
| Tiqets Tours | €73-€313 | Individual visitors, couples | Yes | Tiqets |
| Viator Tours | €58-€209 | First timers, Families, Wheelchair Accessible Tours | Yes | Viator |
| Paris City Pass | €89-€299 | Multi-site visitors who are self-guided. Price determined by number of days and sites. Allows for savings if planning multiple site visits on a given day. | Yes | Go City |
| Free Entry | €0 | Under-18s, EU under-26, free days (see Louvre website for details) | No | Louvre Museum |
Paris Museum Pass — is it worth it for the Louvre?
The Paris Museum Pass is part of the City Pass and grants access to the Louvre and 50+ other museums and monuments across Paris and the Ile-de-France. It comes with options dependent on what you want to do and the number of days you want to book. Options include the Explorer pass starting at €89 with cost based on the number of attractions you choose to visit – through to an All-Inclusive, 6-day pass at €299.
It’s genuinely worth buying if you plan to visit at least three paid attractions per day of the pass. For the Louvre alone the value of the pass comes when combining it with other attractions like the Musee D’Orsay, Versailles, Sainte-Chapelle, and others.
Free entry to the Louvre
The Louvre is free for a specific set of visitors every day and free for everyone on certain dates. Here’s the full breakdown:
Free every day
- Visitors under 18 (any nationality)
- EU residents under 26 (bring valid EU national ID or passport)
- Teachers in the EU (with school-issued ID proving current teaching post)
- Visitors with disabilities and one companion
Free for everyone on specific dates
- First Friday of every month, from 6pm onwards — does NOT apply in July and August
- Bastille Day, July 14
🇫🇷 Les Frenchies tip
Free entry evenings on the first Friday of the month are genuinely worth it — but they’re popular. Arrive before 7pm if possible. The museum is still busy, but less so than a Saturday afternoon.
When to book — how far in advance?
Based on our experience we created the table below to help guide your planning on when to book tickets for the Louvre and really any of the top attractions in Paris.
| Season | When to book |
| Peak: July & August | At least 2–3 weeks in advance for guided tours; 1 week for timed tickets |
| High: April–June, September–October | 1 week for guided tours; 3–5 days for timed tickets |
| Shoulder: March, November | 2-3 days for tours; 24–48 hours for timed tickets |
| Low: December–February (excl. holidays) | Same-day or next-day booking usually possible |
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost For An American to get into the Louvre?
Non-EU Adult entry costs €32 for the permanent collection. Children under 18 are free. Temporary exhibitions require a separate ticket (usually €4–6 extra)
Can I Buy Louvre Tickets at the door
Yes, but it’s not recommended. In peak season (April–October), walk-up queues regularly exceed 60–90 minutes, and some time slots sell out. Buy online for a timed entry and skip the wait.
Where is the cheapest place to buy Louvre tickets?
The Louvre’s official website and authorised partners (including Tiqets) all charge the same price for standard tickets. Avoid third-party resellers charging more — there is no legitimate reason to pay above the face value.
Can I enter the Louvre for free?
Yes, in certain cases: all visitors under 18, EU residents under 26, and on the first Friday of each month after 6pm (except July and August). Check the Louvre website for details.
Does the Louvre ticket include all exhibitions?
The standard ticket covers the entire permanent collection. Temporary exhibitions require an additional ticket, usually €4–6 more. The permanent collection is more than enough for a 2–3 hour visit.
What is included in a Louvre guided tour ticket?
Most guided tours (small group and private) include a timed entry ticket as part of the tour price. Always verify this is explicitly stated when booking — look for “entrance ticket included” in the product listing.
🎟️ Plan your Louvre visit now
Browse our recommended guided tours for a fully guided experience with timed entry included.