With the Covid crisis, Parisian museums have struggled in recent years to return to equivalent attendance levels. Fortunately, in 2022, they finally regained their luster, with record attendance, which has increased again for this year 2023, and should improve again after the Paris 2024 Games, which expect millions of tourists in the capital.
By 2021, 2.2 million visitors had come to discover Paris Musées' exhibitions, up from an average of 3 million a year before the crisis. This does not include the figures for other major Parisian institutions, such as the Louvre, Orsay and the Musée du Quai Branly. According to Anne-Sophie de Gasquet, visitors from the Paris region and France accounted for 64% of the total. Since then, foreign tourists have returned, but those from Asia are still missing.
The Musée d'Orsay broke its record, with almost 3.9 million visitors in 2023 and exciting exhibitions all year round, from Manet-Degas to Van Gogh at Auvers-sur-Oise. The Louvre Museum recorded 8.9 million visitors, 14% more than last year, while the Château de Versailles counted 8.1 million, according to AFP.
For the first time, the Panthéon drew over a million visitors, an all-time record since the million mark had never been surpassed, as did the Palais de la Porte Dorée, which set an all-time attendance record since its construction 92 years ago. These figures augur well for the new year and culture in Paris!
What exhibitions to see in 2026? The must-see museum events in Paris's cultural calendar
What exhibitions are coming to Paris in 2026? The city's museums and monuments are already whetting our appetites by revealing some of the major highlights for the year ahead. Follow our guide to discover the key dates of the must-see exhibitions. [Read more]
What exhibitions to see in 2026? The must-see museum events in Paris's cultural calendar
