Louvre ticket 2026: prices, time slots and skip-the-line entry
The line to the glass pyramid in summer stretches across the entire Place Napoléon. A Louvre ticket costs €22 for EEA citizens and residents and €32 for other visitors (as of 09/2026, official website). Weekend slots sell out several days in advance. Buy your ticket online in advance and you'll go through a separate line, without waiting in the sun.
Below is a step-by-step guide to the official website, a breakdown of prices and free days, plus tips that save you an hour at the entrance.
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What types of tickets are available and how much they cost
💡 In short:
- The official sales channel is ticket.louvre.fr. Trusted platforms like Tiqets sell the same entry with a commission. Mirror sites that promise skip-the-line entry may sell you a counterfeit.
- Adult ticket: €22 for EEA and €32 for everyone else.
- The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, open until 9:00 PM on Wednesdays and Fridays.
- Prices and opening hours: 09/2026, verified on the official Louvre website
Since January 14, 2026, the museum has two adult rates instead of one (as of 09/2026, pricing page).
Ticket type | Who buys it | Price |
|---|---|---|
Adult, EEA | citizens and residents of the EEA | €22 (as of 09/2026, museum price list) |
Adult, non-EEA | all other visitors | €32 (as of 09/2026, non-resident rates) |
Free | under 18, EEA residents under 26 | |
Guided tour | adults and reduced-rate categories | €12 and €9 (as of 09/2026, tour prices) |
Audio guide | any visitor | €6 (as of 09/2026, audio guide price) |
Free or reduced admission must be verified with an original photo ID. Copies and photos on your phone are not accepted.
On the first Friday of the month after 6:00 PM, admission is free for everyone, except in July and August. On July 14 the museum is also open free of charge (as of 09/2026, free days).
© Benh LIEU SONG · CC BYPhoto: Benh LIEU SONG, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5), Wikimedia CommonsKeep the opening hours handy: they determine which time slot you should book.
Day of the week | Opening hours |
|---|---|
Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday | 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (as of 09/2026, museum opening hours) |
Wednesday and Friday | 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM (as of 09/2026, evening hours) |
Tuesday | closed (as of 09/2026, weekly closing day) |
Last entry is one hour before closing, and the galleries are cleared 30 minutes before the end (as of 09/2026, Louvre). The museum is closed on January 1, May 1, and December 25.
How to buy tickets online
Tickets are sold on ticket.louvre.fr, and this is the only official channel. The museum warns about mirror sites that promise skip-the-line entry (verified on 09/15/2026 on the museum's official website). Buying from street resellers can get you turned away at the entrance.
© Maria Eklind · CC BY-SAPhoto: Maria Eklind, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia CommonsBooking takes 5-10 minutes (as of 09/2026, ticket service). Open the website and select the ticket type.
Next, pick a date on the calendar, then an entry time. Slots are available every 30 minutes (as of 09/2026, booking page).
Enter the number of tickets and the visitor category. You can buy up to 6 tickets in a single transaction; groups of 7 to 25 people are subject to separate terms (according to group terms).
On the next step, the site offers a voluntary donation of €2 (as of 09/2026, donation). You can leave the box unchecked; it does not affect the ticket.
Then fill out the registration form: name in Latin characters, date of birth, and email twice. The voucher is sent to the email address you provide.
All that's left is to confirm the terms of sale, pass the "I'm not a robot" check, and pay by card. The ticket arrives by email within a few minutes.
Check the name and date on the voucher right after payment. Corrections are not made at the entrance.
How to buy skip-the-line tickets
Skip-the-line access is not a separate ticket; it's a time slot. With a 9:30 ticket, you enter through the line for reserved slots (as of 09/2026, entry information). The general queue is separate.
Ticket offices only operate when visitor flow is low, and on-site tickets may not be available (according to ticket purchase rules). Third-party platforms sell the same entry but charge a fee.
If official slots for your date are sold out, check tickets on Tiqets: tickets with time slots on Tiqets.
Tours and tickets in Louvre
Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and activities — most offers can be cancelled free of charge.
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What to consider before buying
A few small things that can spoil your visit if you find out about them too late.
Leaving the museum is final: once you exit the Louvre, you cannot re-enter the same day (according to the visiting conditions). Plan your route so you cover all the rooms in one go.
You must have proof of age or residency with you.
A time slot is recommended even for free visitors, otherwise you will stand in the general line (according to the booking tips). Reserve your time in advance, even if you do not need a ticket.
Louvre tours
The collection has tens of thousands of works, and it is easy to get lost in the first two hours. A guided tour saves you time: you are shown the highlights in 2 to 2.5 hours (according to the museum service).
© Yann Caradec from Paris, France · CC BY-SAPhoto: Yann Caradec from Paris, France, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), Wikimedia CommonsOfficial museum tours cost 12 € for adults and 9 € for reduced-rate categories (as of 09/2026, tour prices). Groups are kept small, so spots sell out quickly.
External guides offer themed routes: sculpture, Italian painting, the Louvre by night. For a tour in English, check out Louvre tours on GetYourGuide.
A first visit is best built around three works: the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
Tips for visitors before you go
Book a slot for 9:00 or for Wednesday evening. In the morning there are few visitors.
For a first visit, a few hours is enough. Do not try to cover all the rooms in one go, otherwise by evening you will be exhausted and miss the highlights.
Take an audio guide if you want details at the paintings. For everyone else, the signage is enough.
⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions
How much does a Louvre ticket cost in 2026?
An adult ticket costs 22 € for EEA citizens and residents and 32 € for everyone else (as of 09/2026, official Louvre website). Visitors under 18 and EEA residents under 26 enter free.
Is the Louvre open on Tuesdays?
No, Tuesday is the museum's day off. On other days it is open from 9:00 to 18:00, and on Wednesdays and Fridays until 21:00 (as of 09/2026, opening hours).
Can I buy a ticket on site without waiting in line?
Ticket offices are open only when visitor flow is low, and ticket availability is not guaranteed (according to buying on site). It is more reliable to book a time slot online in advance: this way you choose a convenient time and enter through a separate line for reservations, bypassing the general queue at the pyramid.
How do I get into the Louvre for free?
Visitors under 18, EEA residents under 26, and everyone on the first Friday of the month after 6:00 pm get in free, except in July and August (as of 09/2026, free categories). On July 14, admission is also free for everyone.
How much time should you allow for a visit?
A few hours is enough for a first look, but a relaxed tour of all the rooms will take a full day. Plan your route in advance and save your energy for the main rooms.
In short: what to book
The short version: buy Louvre tickets in advance on the official website or through a trusted platform. A morning slot solves the main problem, the long line at the entrance.
If you have no time to plan, take a ready-made option. A flexible schedule is covered by a timed ticket on Tiqets. For context and a route, a guided tour on GetYourGuide works well.
One timed ticket, and you are in the museum without waiting in line.
A small editorial team writing guides for independent travel. We travel ourselves, but we haven’t been everywhere, so we check prices, opening hours and how to get there against official sources.