Top 10 Most Visited Museums in France

France is renowned for its rich history, captivating art, and cultural treasures. In this article, we will take you on a virtual journey through the most visited museums in France that house some of the world’s most priceless artefacts and masterpieces. From iconic art collections to fascinating historical exhibits, these museums have welcomed millions of visitors from around the globe.

Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a history buff, or simply curious to explore the wonders of French heritage, this list will undoubtedly spark your wanderlust and inspire your next cultural adventure. So, let’s embark on this captivating exploration of the top 10 museums that continue to enthral and captivate visitors year after year. Let’s dive in!

The Museums in France: Facts and Figures

France is home to 1,218 museums, 8 of which welcomed more than 1 million visitors in 2019. Only 63 museums in France welcomed between 100,000 and 1 million visitors. France’s first museum – the Louvre – is also the world’s largest and most visited museum. The list below includes the visitor count.

Interestingly, most of the top 10 museums in France are located in Paris and its surroundings.

Number of visitors post-Covid

In 2022, there has been a remarkable resurgence in visitor numbers to French museums and monuments, marking a promising recovery after two years of pandemic challenges. With the easing of Covid restrictions, foreign visitors have eagerly returned, bringing a new sense of vitality to these cultural landmarks.

Remarkably, visitors to museums and national monuments soared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, signifying a significant rebound in tourism and cultural exploration. Notably, over 10 million visitors flocked to national monuments in 2022, representing a twofold increase compared to the figures in 2021.

The major museums in Paris experienced a substantial surge in visitor numbers during the same year, and there is a strong trend indicating a return to their 2019 visitation levels. This resurgence showcases the enduring allure of French heritage and the unwavering passion for art and history among visitors worldwide.

Pre and Post-Covid Stats

• With around 7.7 million visitors last year, the Louvre, the most visited museum in the world, recorded a 170% increase over 2021, thanks in part to the return of foreign tourists. However, visitor numbers were still 19% lower than in 2019 (9.6 million).
• The second most visited site in France, the Palace of Versailles, around 20 kilometres from Paris, had 6.9 million visitors in 2022 (Palace and Shows), 16% fewer than its record in 2019 (8.2 million).
• The Eiffel Tower welcomed almost 5.9 million visitors in 2022. Previously, the capital’s emblematic monument attracted between 6 and 7 million people a year.
• In 2022, 5.4 million people visited the Centre Pompidou, an increase of 40% in one year and a level close to that of 2019. The permanent modern and contemporary art collections even recorded more visitors than in 2019.

Visitor numbers at Paris museums in 2022

In Paris, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay and the Centre Pompidou are among the top 10 most-visited museums in the world, alongside the British Museum (London), the Tate Gallery (London), the Vatican Museums and the National Museum of Korea (Seoul).

According to figures compiled by the newspaper Le Parisien, 4.54 million visitors came to the museums of Paris. Ten years ago, when the first count was made, just over 2.38 million visitors were recorded that year.

Except for the Asian public, foreign visitors, particularly Americans, returned in 2022 to the French capital’s major cultural tourist attractions, where the major exhibitions (Kokoschka, Munch, Frida Kahlo…) proved popular, and the local public made a strong comeback in the (free) museums of the City of Paris.

According to estimates by the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, Greater Paris welcomed 34.5 million tourists in 2022, down 10.3% from 2019.

The 1,200+ museums in France

France boasts an impressive array of museums, totalling more than 1,200 establishments.

The “Museums of France Act of 4 January 2002” governs these museums, which grants the coveted “Musée de France” designation to museums owned by the State or public and private not-for-profit legal entities. This esteemed designation is bestowed upon museums housing permanent collections deemed of public interest, organized to educate, enlighten, and enjoy the public.

While not every museum in France is part of the “Musées de France” network, a significant number, precisely 1,215, currently hold this distinguished title, and just over 1,000 warmly welcome the public to explore their treasures.

Remarkably, eight out of ten ‘Musées de France’ are under the management of local authorities, while the State oversees 61 museums, 39 of which are esteemed national museums directly operated by the Ministry of Culture.

This diverse network of museums showcases the nation’s rich cultural heritage, offering unique insights into history, art, and knowledge for the enjoyment of locals and visitors alike.

In 2020, of all the museums in France open to visitors,

• just over a third were art museums (35%),
• nearly a third were history museums (32%),
• just under a quarter were museums of society and civilisation (23%), and
• one in ten was a science museum (nature, science and technology).

10 Most Visited Museums in France

1. Musée du Louvre, Paris

Number of visitors: 7.8 million (2022) – 10,105,962 (2018)

Website of the Museum

2. Palace and Domain of Versailles

Number of Visitors: 6.9 million (2022) – 8,177,695 (2019)

Website of the Domain

3. Musée d’Orsay, Paris

Number of visitors: 3,270,182 (2022) – 3,651,616 (2019)

Website of the Museum

4. Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée – MuCem, Marseille

Number of visitors: 1,250,000 (2022) – 1,207,663 (2019)

Website of the Museum

5. Musée national d’Art moderne (Centre Pompidou), Paris

Number of visitors: 3 million (2022) – 3,878,053 (2019)

Website of the Museum

6. Petit Palais, Musée des beaux-arts de la ville de Paris

Number of visitors: 1,085,517 (2022) – 1,203,810 (pre-Covid)

Website of the Museum

7. Musée de l’Armée, Paris

Number of visitors: 1,071,072 (2022) – 1,525,030 (pre-Covid)

Website of the Museum

8. Musée Carnavalet, Paris

Number of visitors: 1,064,011 (2022) – 1,108,079 (pre-Covid)

Website of the Museum

9. Musée national de l’Orangerie, Paris

Number of visitors: 1,013,265 (2022) – 938,281 (pre-Covid)

Website of the Museum

10. Musée du Quai Branly, Paris

Number of visitors: 1,005,357 (2022) – 1.1 million (2019)

Website of the Museum

11-20 Most Visited Museums in France

And the list goes on:

11. Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris

Number of visitors: 901,593 (2022) – 869,797 (pre-Covid)

Website of the Museum

12. Grande Galerie de l’Évolution, Paris

Number of visitors: 831,749 (2022) – 838,586 (pre-Covid)

Website of the Museum

13. Musée Picasso, Paris

Number of visitors: ? (2022) – 766,764 (pre-Covid)

Website of the Museum

14. Musée des Confluences, Lyon

Number of visitors: 654,601 (2022) – 880,596 (pre-Covid)

Website of the Museum

15. Louvre-Lens, Lens

Number of visitors: 571,047 (2022) – 863,117 (2013)

Website of the Museum

16. Musée d’art moderne de la ville de Paris

Number of visitors: 559,355 (2022) – 832,088 (pre-Covid)

Website of the Museum

17. Musée national Auguste-Rodin, Paris

Number of visitors: 550,000 (2022) – 570,000 (2019)

Website of the Museum

18. Cité du Vin, Bordeaux

Number of visitors: 391,000 (2022) – 416,000 (2019)

Website of the Museum

19. Centre Pompidou, Metz

Number of visitors: 222,627 (2022) – 303,608 (2019)

Website of the Museum

20. Musée de l’Automobile de Mulhouse – Collection Schlumpf, Mulhouse

Number of visitors: 187,557 (2022) – 206,000 (2019)

Website of the Museum

Source: Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, figures based on statistics from 2019