Musée Picasso Paris: Tickets, Free Days & Practical Tips for 2026
€16 entry, free first Sunday of the month, calmer than the Louvre and the Centre Pompidou. How to book the Hôtel Salé visit and the slots locals actually pick.
The Musée Picasso Paris holds 5,000+ works in a 1656 mansion in the Marais. The Louvre across town gets 9 million visitors a year. This one gets around 700,000. It's the quietest major Paris museum housing a name everyone recognises, and it shows when you walk through the rooms.
Here's the honest 2026 guide — how to book, when to go, and why you should pair it with the Marais rather than the Louvre on the same day.
In 3 minutes, you'll know:
- Whether €16 is worth it for this collection versus the Pompidou or the Centre Picasso Barcelona
- How free entry works on first Sundays and for under-26 EU visitors
- The Tuesday and Thursday slots most visitors miss
- Why the Hôtel Salé itself is part of the visit, not just the wrapper
How much are Musée Picasso Paris tickets in 2026?
Three prices that cover most visitors:
Standard adult — €16. Online or at the door. Online is recommended — the museum operates timed slots and walk-ups can be delayed if your preferred hour is busy.
Reduced (check official site for current rate). Applies to certain categories such as large families, some teachers, and journalists with credentials.
Free — under 18 worldwide, EU/EEA 18–25 with ID, disabled visitors plus one companion, job seekers with documentation, and ICOM members. Always check current eligibility on the official site.
Paris Museum Pass covers the Musée Picasso. Worth running the math on the pass if you're hitting four or more pass-included museums in two days — see our Paris Museum Pass guide for the break-even.
Where to book
Our take: Book direct on the official site — the museum has frictionless online booking and the prices match the door. The Paris Museum Pass starts to pay off if you also have the Louvre, the Orsay, the Centre Pompidou and a Versailles day-trip on the same Paris week.
Is the Musée Picasso Paris free on the first Sunday of the month?
Yes, with one practical caveat. The Premier dimanche du mois rule applies year-round at the Musée Picasso. Entry is free, but the timed slot is what fills up — the museum prioritises pre-booked slots, and walk-ups are admitted only if capacity allows.
Book the free slot online a week or two ahead. Slots typically release about two weeks in advance. The first-Sunday slots are the most contested of the month.
Free year-round, no Sunday rule needed:
- Under 18, worldwide
- EU/EEA 18–25 with valid ID
- Disabled visitors plus one companion
- Job seekers with documentation (less than three months old)
- ICOM, ICOMOS, Press card holders
- Teachers of art and art history (Pass Éducation)
Heritage Days (Journées européennes du patrimoine): third weekend of September. Free entry, expect queues. Worth combining with the European Night of Museums 2026 if your trip falls in May.
What are Musée Picasso Paris opening hours?
Tuesday to Friday: 10:30 – 18:00 (last entry 17:15). Saturday and Sunday: 09:30 – 18:00 (last entry 17:15). Closed: every Monday, 1 January, 1 May, 25 December.
Best slot: Tuesday or Thursday 10:30 first entry. The lunch break wave hits between 12:30 and 14:00; the late afternoon (16:00 onwards) thins out, but you're racing the 17:15 last-entry cutoff.
Worst slot: Saturday and Sunday 11:30–13:30. Weekend mid-mornings draw the biggest crowds at every Marais museum, not just Picasso.
How to get to the Musée Picasso Paris
Address: 5 rue de Thorigny, 75003 Paris. The Hôtel Salé in the Marais.
Metro options:
- Saint-Paul (Line 1) — 8-minute walk through the Marais.
- Chemin Vert (Line 8) — 6-minute walk, fewer tourists.
- Saint-Sébastien-Froissart (Line 8) — 6-minute walk, quickest from Bastille.
Walking distances: 15 minutes from the Centre Pompidou, 12 minutes from Place des Vosges, 20 minutes from the Île de la Cité. Plan to wander the Marais before or after — falafel on rue des Rosiers, vintage shops on rue Vieille-du-Temple, and the medieval streets between are part of why this museum is worth the trip.
What is worth seeing inside
The collection is hung roughly chronologically across the four floors of the Hôtel Salé. The mansion itself is part of the visit — a 1656 Marais hôtel particulier with a sculpted staircase and ceilings that compete with the paintings for attention.
Early work and the Blue Period (1901–1904). Studies that show how fast Picasso moved through influences before settling into his own voice. The bleakness of the Blue paintings reads differently when you see them in this much natural light.
Rose Period and proto-Cubism (1904–1907). The transition from sentimental subjects to fractured form. Visit slowly — the change happens room to room.
Cubist and post-Cubist works (1907 onwards). The museum has a deep collection of Picasso's experimental years. Spend 15 minutes here if you've never sat with a Cubist painting in person.
Late work, ceramics, and sculpture. The fourth floor and the basement workshop spaces are where most visitors run out of energy — that's a mistake. The ceramics in particular are physical in a way the paintings aren't.
The Hôtel Salé itself. Spend 5 minutes on the entrance staircase. The 17th-century sculptural detail wasn't restored to be seen as a backdrop to Picasso.
Picasso Paris versus Picasso Barcelona
Both museums are essential if you care about Picasso, and they're different. The Museu Picasso Barcelona is heavy on early work — academic paintings from age 13, Blue Period in the Catalan context, the Las Meninas series. The Paris museum covers his full career across 5,000+ works including Cubism, Surrealism, ceramics and sculpture.
If you have to choose, pick Barcelona for the formation and Paris for the breadth. If you have both cities in one trip, do Barcelona first chronologically — the Paris collection lands harder when you've already seen the teenage notebooks.
Verified Facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Standard ticket | €16 (online or door) |
| Free entry | Under 18 worldwide · EU/EEA 18–25 with ID · Disabled +1 · First Sunday of the month (timed slot recommended) |
| Hours | Tue–Fri 10:30–18:00 · Sat–Sun 09:30–18:00 · Last entry 17:15 |
| Closed | Mondays · 1 Jan · 1 May · 25 Dec |
| Address | 5 rue de Thorigny, 75003 Paris (Hôtel Salé, Marais) |
| Metro | Saint-Paul (L1) · Chemin Vert (L8) · Saint-Sébastien-Froissart (L8) |
| Average visit | 2 hours for the honest version; 90 min minimum |
| Best slot | Tue or Thu 10:30 first entry |
| Worst slot | Sat–Sun 11:30–13:30 |
| Pass coverage | Paris Museum Pass (4-day, 6-day) |
| Book at | Official Musée Picasso Paris · Paris Museum Pass on GetYourGuide |
Hours and prices can change. Always confirm on the official Musée Picasso Paris site before you book.
Last verified: May 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much are Musée Picasso Paris tickets in 2026?
Standard adult €16. Free entry for under-18 worldwide, EU/EEA 18–25 with ID, disabled visitors plus one companion, and on the first Sunday of every month (timed slot recommended).
Is the Musée Picasso Paris free on the first Sunday of the month?
Yes. Free entry with a timed-slot reservation strongly recommended — slots release about two weeks ahead and fill quickly. Walk-ups are admitted if capacity allows, but pre-booked slots take priority.
What are Musée Picasso Paris opening hours?
Tuesday to Friday 10:30–18:00 · Saturday and Sunday 09:30–18:00 · Last entry 17:15 · Closed Mondays, 1 January, 1 May, 25 December.
How do you get to the Musée Picasso in Paris?
5 rue de Thorigny, 75003 Paris — Hôtel Salé in the Marais. Closest metros: Saint-Paul (Line 1), Chemin Vert (Line 8), Saint-Sébastien-Froissart (Line 8). 15-minute walk from Centre Pompidou, 12 minutes from Place des Vosges.
How long do you need at the Musée Picasso Paris?
Two hours is the honest version. The full-career collection rewards a slow walk through the four floors. 90 minutes feels rushed; three hours brings museum fatigue. Factor 15 minutes for the Hôtel Salé building itself.
The one-line answer
Book the official site, pick a Tuesday or Thursday 10:30 slot, and give the visit two hours plus 15 minutes for the building. Pair it with the Marais — falafel, vintage shops, and Place des Vosges — not with the Louvre. If you've already done Picasso Museum Barcelona, the Paris collection lands harder for the breadth. If you're still planning the rest of the week, the Paris in one day itinerary and the best art museums in Paris cover what fits around it.