You are spoiled for choice when it comes to museums in Paris. So, how do you decide which ones are best to explore with your kids? Some younger kids may feel overwhelmed by the more famous Paris museums like the Louvre, so I’ve picked out some smaller museums that are perfect for the little ones. Whether they like art, science, magic or are just eager to explore, Paris has something for everyone. Below are some of my favourite museums in Paris to visit with kids.
1. Cité des Sciences et de L’industrie
Situated in the northern part of Paris, within the Parc de la Villette, this large science centre is perfect for exploring with kids. Featuring a dedicated section known as the “Cité des Enfants“, specifically tailored for young explorers, it offers interactive play and hands-on activities to foster scientific discovery.
For children aged 2 to 7, different activities encourage them to touch and experiment as they play with water, air and materials. Meanwhile, the section designed for 5 to 12-year-olds offers activities that prompt them to measure speed, participate in water games, discover how a TV studio works, and much more.
Each session within Cité des Enfants lasts 90 minutes, and it’s advisable to book your timeslot in advance, especially on weekends or during French school holidays when the centre is busier than usual.
How long to spend here
If you’re only visiting the Cité des Enfants, set aside about two hours for your visit. This timeframe covers your timed session and also gives you time to browse the excellent gift shop, which offers unique toys you may not find elsewhere.
If you’re interested in exploring the rest of the museum, I recommend you to add another two hours to your visit. You’ll have the opportunity to explore the permanent exhibitions covering diverse subjects such as space, climate change, robotics, and genetics. Additionally, don’t miss the chance to experience the Planétarium and visit the Argonaute, a submarine museum providing insights into the daily life of a submarine team.
Address: 30 Avenue Corentin-Cariou, 75019, Paris
Nearest Metro: Porte de la Villette (Line 7) is a 5-minute walk to the science centre
Opening hours: 10 am to 6 pm Tuesday to Saturday; 10 am – 7pm on Sunday
Prices:
- Cité des Enfants : €13 adults; €10 for those under 25
- Combined ticket for Cité des Enfants and all exhibitions, the Planetarium and the Argonaute submarine: €17 adults and children
Tickets: Buy your tickets for Cité des Enfants here in advance of your visit. You can also buy a separate entry ticket to the centre’s exhibitions, Planetarium and the submarine here.
2. Pompidou Centre
Children will love the quirky appearance of the outside of the museum building with its brightly coloured pipes and escalators. On the 1st floor of the Pompidou Centre is a kids gallery, “Galerie des Enfants”, for children aged four and over, with different fun and interactive workshop exhibitions that change regularly throughout the year. While it’s free for children, booking a time slot is strongly recommended. On my recent visit to the gallery, the theme was “the earth magicians”, where children can draw on walls and even dress up.
In addition, the museum offers art workshops and classes as part of the “Atelier des enfants” for children from 6 months to 10 years, designed to introduce them to contemporary art. A separate space for teenagers is called “Studio 13/16“, where the museum organizes free artist workshops and other events.
Ride the escalators to the top floor and take in the spectacular views of Paris’s rooftops, with the iconic Eiffel Tower rising in the distance. Once you’ve soaked the panorama, make your way inside to explore the extraordinary collection of modern art by artists like Pablo Picasso and Wassily Kandinsky, descending through the levels until you reach the ground floor.
Take a photo of the kids and the family in the fun photo booth on the ground floor. The photos come with the Pompidou Centre stamp and make a great souvenir to bring back home.
Please note that the Pompidou Centre will be closed for five years for refurbishment from 2025 to 2030, so visit it while you can!
How long to spend here
I would set aside two hours for your visit if you’re visiting the Galerie des Enfants and exploring some of the permanent modern art collections on the 5th floor.
Address: Place Georges-Pompidou, 75004, Paris
Nearest Metro: Rambuteau (Line 11) is a 2-minute walk, Hôtel de Ville (Lines 1 and 11) is a 3-minute walk and Châtelet (Lines 1, 4, 7, 11 and 14) is a 6-minute walk to the Pompidou Centre.
Opening hours:
- Museums and Exhibitions: 11 am – 9 pm every day, except Tuesdays
- Galerie des Enfants: 11 am to 7 pm every day, except Tuesdays
- Atelier des Enfants and Studio 13/16: Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays (during the school year) and daily (except Tuesdays) during the school holidays
Prices: €15 (Permanent collection) for adults; free for children under 18
Tickets: Buy your tickets here for both temporary and permanent collections.
3. Musee d’Illusion
This small Museum of Illusions can be explored in under an hour and is perfect for a quick and fun museum visit in Paris with kids. Your senses will be put to the ultimate test as you navigate mind-bending optical tricks, mind-boggling exhibits, and interactive wonders that’ll make you question everything you see. You can take some fun photos in the “upside-down room”, which looks like you’re defying gravity or walk through the Vortex tunnel that will make your head spin.
How long to spend here
I would set aside between 45 minutes to an hour for the visit.
Address: 98 Rue Saint-Denis, 75001, Paris
Nearest Metro: Étienne Marcel (Line 4) is a 1-minute walk away
Opening hours: 10 am – 9 pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday; 10 am – 10 pm Thursday to Saturday
Prices: €19 adults, €13 child aged 4 – 15, free for under 4
Tickets: Buy your tickets in advance here.
4. Rodin Museum
The Rodin Museum, set in a stunning venue with beautiful gardens, is another great Paris museum for kids. Its collection includes some of Rodin’s most famous sculptures, such as “The Thinker,” “The Kiss,” and “The Gates of Hell”.
After visiting the museum, head outside to the gardens, where more of Rodin’s sculptures are on display. This is where you’ll likely spend the most time with the kids. There is a lovely café where you can stop for refreshments, with outdoor seating available during the warmer months.
For an additional €6.50, families can rent a touchscreen tablet equipped with games and puzzles tailored for children aged 6 and up. The tablet is available in both French and English languages.
If your children speak French, you can sign them up for Sunday family tours or sculpture workshops organized during the French school holidays for children aged 6 to 10.
How long to spend here
I would set aside one to two hours for the visit, including the gardens and a refreshment stop at the café.
Address: 77 rue de Varenne, 75007, Paris
Nearest Metro: Varenne (Line 13), a 2-minute walk or Invalides (Lines 8 and 13), a 10-minute walk from the station
Opening hours: 10 am – 6.30 pm Tuesday through Sunday
Prices: €15 adults, free for children under 18
Tickets: Buy your tickets in advance here.
5. Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac
In the 7th arrondissement, close to the Eiffel Tower and the Aquarium of Paris, lies the Musee de Quai Branly. Unlike the more traditional Paris art museums, it showcases artefacts and artwork from the Americas, Africa, Oceania, and Asia. Children will enjoy the impressive collections of masks, totem poles, traditional costumes, and sculptures, offering a glimpse into the cultural traditions across the continents they may be less familiar with.
For French-speaking kids, the museum offers year-round family events like visits narrated by storytellers, guided tours, and craft workshops. You can access the children’s program for 2023/2024 here.
A visit to the museum’s library offers a peaceful break, with colouring pages and games available to engage children. Following this, you can explore the garden and relax at the café, which serves lunch and refreshments, offering the perfect way to recharge.
How long to spend here
I would set aside two hours for your visit.
Address: 37 Quai Branly, 75007, Paris
Nearest Metro: Alma-Marceau (Line 9), an 8-minute walk to the museum, Ecole Militaire (Line 8) and Bir Hakeim (Line 6) , are both a 15-minute walk to the museum
Opening hours: 10.30 am – 7 pm Tuesdays to Sundays (10.30 am to 10 pm on Thursdays)
Prices: €14 adults, free for children under 18
Tickets: Buy your tickets here.
6. Musée des Arts Forains
The Musée des Arts Forains in Paris is a magical museum to visit in Paris with kids. It is dedicated to the history of carousels and fairgrounds. Once the doors shut behind you, you’ll step into a dimly lit fairy tale world, guided by music and a tour guide who will make you laugh, dance, and play. You will get to ride century-old carousels and experience the wonder of amusement attractions dating back to the 1850s.
Located in the 19th-century wine warehouses in Bercy, this private museum can only be visited with a prior booking for a guided tour. When you’re inside, you’ll realize why a guide is needed. There are no explanations or signs anywhere so it’s the guide who brings the place to life and makes the visit so memorable and interactive.
The tours are in French but, on our last visit, the guide was fluent in English and translated the key parts during the tour. There is also a leaflet in English to help follow the tour. Although there were a few babies in tow, I wouldn’t recommend this museum to children under 5. This is because 1.5-2 hours is quite long and the younger ones may be scared to ride some of the carousels.
How long to spend here
The guided tour lasts 1.5 hours and you are not allowed to carry on exploring the museum after the tour ends. Don’t be surprised if the tour overruns, ours was 2 hours long.
Address: 53 Avenue des Terroirs de France, 75012, Paris
Nearest Metro: Cour Saint-Émilion (Line 14) is a 4-minute walk, Duggomier (Line 6) is a 15-minute walk to the museum
Opening hours: Wednesdays, weekends and French school holidays
Prices: €18.80 adult, €12.80 for children aged 4 – 11, free for under 4. The tour slots open for online booking 2 weeks in advance
Tickets: Book your guided tour in advance here.
7. Grande Galerie de l’Évolution
This stunning museum located on the grounds of Jardin des Plantes is perfect for kids who love animals. The natural history museum showcases the diversity of the natural world through lifelike exhibits of animals in their natural habitats. Inside you’ll find marine mammal skeletons like the blue whale, as well as large mammals from around the world. Kids will love exploring the bright and interactive displays while learning about the different animals and birds.
There is a 15-minute-long augmented reality experience where kids can learn about the lives of some extinct animals. After putting on special glasses, kids can transport themselves into different locations and see extinct species up close for a unique experience.
How long to spend here
Aim to spend about an hour visiting the Grande Galerie de l’Évolution. The park Jardin des Plantes where the museum is located is a wonderful place to spend time with kids so stay longer in the area to explore the nearby zoo and walk through the gardens.
Address: 36 Rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 75005, Paris
Nearest metro: Place Monge (Line 7) is a 6-minute walk, Jussieu (Line 10) is an 8-minute walk to the museum
Opening hours: 10 am to 6 pm daily (except Tuesdays)
Prices: €13 for adults, free for those under the age of 25
Tickets: Buy your tickets here.
8. Petit Palais
With a facade as grand as its collection, the museum showcases a wide array of works from antiquity through to the early 20th century. Its collection includes medieval illuminations, Renaissance paintings, and pieces from the French Romantic and Impressionist movements. Notable artists like Rembrandt, Poussin, Delacroix, and Monet are featured here. Aside from its permanent collection, the Petit Palais regularly hosts temporary exhibitions, attracting art lovers from around the globe.
Inside the museum you will find a beautiful garden where you can admire the museum’s intricate architecture. This hidden oasis in Paris is a superb spot for relaxation, complete with colonnades and lush plantings. In addition there’s also a café/restaurant on site for visitors to enjoy a drink or lunch.
Although the museum does not offer an audioguide, a mobile app provides three free tours to choose from: “12 Masterpieces,” “30 Must-Sees,” or a self-guided tour of the collections.
For children who speak French, the museum’s official website lists various workshops and activities aimed at young audiences, including painting classes, guided visits, and even sessions for 12 – to 24-month-old babies designed to introduce them to art through sensory experiences.
How long to spend here
The collections here are free to explore for all the family. Pop in for as little as 30 minutes, or longer, depending on how much your children love to look at art.
Address: Avenue Winston-Churchill, 75008, Paris
Nearest Metro: Champs-Élysées – Clemenceau (Lines 1 and 13), Franklin D. Roosevelt (Line 9)
Opening hours: 10 am – 6 pm Tuesday to Sunday
Prices: Free access to the permanent collection; prices vary for temporary exhibitions
Tickets: You don’t need to prebook tickets in advance and can just buy them on arrival.
More Paris suggestions
I hope that my list of the best museums in Paris to visit with kids gives you useful ideas on how to plan your time in Paris. Read my 10 tips for visiting Paris museums with kids to make your experience enjoyable for the whole family.
If you are looking for more ideas on what to see and do with kids in Paris, check out my Paris Itineraries with Kids.
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