Would you like to visit the world's most visited museum for free? This year, the Musée du Louvre in Paris is taking part in the European Heritage Days, and intends to surprise and dazzle visitors.
As a reminder, the Journées du Patrimoine are an opportunity to push open the doors of many well-known and lesser-known cultural sites to discover an original or innovative aspect of France's heritage. From museums to major institutions, castles, churches and theaters, many establishments take part in the Journées du Patrimoine every year, in Paris and the Île-de-France region, as well as elsewhere in France.
Heritage Days 2026 in Paris (75): a district-by-district lineup of visits
For the 2026 Heritage Days in Paris, the capital’s monuments and historic sites throw open their doors (often for free) to reveal their secrets to us. Don’t miss this essential event, scheduled for the weekend of September 19–20, 2026, under the themes: "Heritage in Peril" and "Heritage of Photography". [Read more]
The Heritage Days 2026 in Paris also offer a chance to discover places that are usually off-limits to the public. Here’s our list of sites that will open their doors to you for a limited time this weekend of September 19–20, 2026. [Read more]
On Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, September 21, 2025, the Musée du Louvre is looking forward to welcoming young and old, enthusiasts and the curious, to take a behind-the-scenes look at its art workshops during free tours (registration required, available soon online on the Musée du Louvre's official website).
An opportunity to learn more about this unique expertise, including workshops for mounting drawings, framing and gilding, decorative painting, lighting works, museum supports, installation of works, marble work, tapestry, cabinetwork and metalwork.
You may not be aware of it, but the Musée du Louvre's museum workshop department now comprises 13 workshops, with a total of around 120 people from the arts and crafts sector. They work daily to preserve and present the museum's works.
Art workshops at the Musée du Louvre
Discovering the Louvre's Art Studios
As part of the 2026 European Heritage Days, the Louvre Museum’s art workshops will unusually open their doors to showcase their craft on September 19 and 20.
The tours last 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Participation requirements: Groups limited to 25 people. Participants must arrive at least 20 minutes before the start of the tour. - Free | Reservation required - https://ticket.louvre.fr
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 09:30 to 13:00, 14:10 to 17:40 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 09:30 to 13:00, 14:10 to 17:40
Behind the scenes at the Musée du Louvre
Aucun événement annoncé à ce jour, le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Louvre Museum and Tuileries Gardens
Guided Tour: "Louvre Architectures"
Architectures of the Louvre
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Trace eight centuries of history and explore how the Louvre Palace has evolved through its architecture, from its origins to the era of the pyramid.
Visits last 1h30. Departure point at the Arc de Carrousel.
Participation guidelines: Groups limited to 20 people. Free of charge | Booking required - https://ticket.louvre.fr/
Schedule: Saturday, 19 September 2026 — 09:30 to 10:00, 10:00 to 10:30, 10:30 to 11:00, 11:00 to 12:30, 14:00 to 14:30, 14:30 to 15:00, 15:00 to 15:30, 15:30 to 17:00 | Sunday, 20 September 2026 — 09:30 to 10:00, 10:00 to 10:30, 10:30 to 11:00, 11:00 to 12:30, 14:00 to 14:30, 14:30 to 15:00, 15:00 to 15:30, 15:30 to 17:00
Guided Tour “Behind the Doors of the Mollien Pavilion”
Behind the doors of the Mollien Pavilion
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The Louvre’s teams are opening the doors of the Mollien Pavilion on an exceptional basis, revealing, among other things, the President’s offices. A rare opportunity to glimpse the inner workings of the museum and meet the staff who keep it running day in and day out.
Participation requirements: Groups up to 15 people. - Free | Reservation required - https://ticket.louvre.fr/
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00–11:00, 11:30–12:30, 14:00–15:00, 15:30–16:30 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00–11:00, 11:30–12:30, 14:00–15:00, 15:30–16:30
Guided tour "For the Love of Drawing"
For the love of drawing
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### Exceptional discovery at the Louvre's Cabinet of Drawings
Housed in one of the palace’s most beautiful and little-known spaces, the Cabinet of Drawings guards an extraordinary collection of more than 200,000 works dating from the 9th century AD to the 1850s. This highly light-sensitive collection is shown only in rotation during temporary exhibitions. Some of its finest pieces are brought to light on Heritage Days.
Starting point: Lions Gate, garden side.
Participation rules: Groups capped at 15 participants. Free admission | Booking required - https://ticket.louvre.fr/
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 to 10:45, 11:00 to 11:45, 14:00 to 14:45, 15:00 to 15:45, 16:00 to 16:45
Guided Tour: "The Carrousel Garden — A Daily Challenge"
The Carrousel Garden: a daily challenge
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Nestled between the Louvre Palace and the Tuileries Garden, the Carrousel Garden presents its managers with a host of hurdles. How do you keep a garden laid out on a paved surface in good shape when it handles the daily crush of visitors? How do you safeguard Maillol’s precious sculpture collection? Step behind the scenes of this balancing act with an engineer and a curator as your guides.
Starting point: at the Arc de Carrousel.
Participation conditions: Groups limited to 25 people. - Free | No reservation required
Timings: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 14:30–16:00, 16:00–17:30
Dates and Opening Time
From September 19, 2026 to September 20, 2026
Location
Louvre Museum
musée du louvre
75001 Paris 1
Route planner
Accessibility info
Access
Metro Palais Royal - Musée du Louvre
Prices
Free
Booking
www.louvre.fr
More information
Free, online registration required 150 people per day in groups of 15 (5 groups in the morning from 8:30 to 9:30 am, 5 groups in the afternoon from 1:30 to 2:30 pm).
Heritage Days 2026 in Paris (75): a district-by-district lineup of visits
Heritage Days 2026 in Paris: unmissable openings and exclusive tours
