THE 10 BEST Paris History Museums
History Museums in Paris
Category types
Types of Attractions
Museums
Museums
Awards
Travellers' Choice Awards winners (including the "Best of the Best" title) are among the top 10% of listings on Tripadvisor, according to the reviews and opinions of travellers across the globe.
Traveller rating
Neighbourhoods
Good for
22 places sorted by traveller favourites
- Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, number of page views, and user location.
Speciality Museums • History Museums
Montmartre
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Open now
Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Ile de la Cité
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Speciality Museums • History Museums
Pont-de-Flandre
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Open now
Historic Sites • History Museums
Le Marais
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Military Museums • History Museums
Montparnasse
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Art Museums • History Museums
Le Marais
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Speciality Museums • History Museums
Quartier Latin
Military Museums • Speciality Museums
Tour Eiffel / Invalides
History Museums
Montparnasse
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Open now
Historic Sites • History Museums
Trocadero
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Military Museums • Speciality Museums
Tour Eiffel / Invalides
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Military Museums • Science Museums
Val-de-Grâce
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Open now
Military Museums • History Museums
Tour Eiffel / Invalides
Points of Interest & Landmarks • History Museums
Odéon / Saint-Michel
History Museums
History Museums
Opéra / Bourse
Military Museums • Speciality Museums
Open now
Art Museums • History Museums
Historic Sites • Historic Walking Areas
Le Marais
History Museums
What travellers are saying
- I visited this place🇺🇸🇫🇷🇨đź‡đź‡¬đź‡·đź‡¬đź‡§Israel35,329 contributions* It has interesting and useful exhibits and documentation- very academic
* A good display of historical artifacts- especially startling and sobering were the remnants of the citizenry lists that the evil N@zis used to find their Jewish victims.
* Located in Le Marais, near other tourist stuff
CONS
* This is a sobering place to reflect on man’s inhumanity and cruelness to the “other.”
* The lighting overall is dim.
* There is very heavy security with heavy doors and bullet-proof glass
{I VISITED THIS PLACE"...
... because it is important to remember this dark era, so that it is never repeated. It is somber and sobering.
WAS IT WORTH THE COST?
It is free
WOULD "I VISIT THIS PLACE" AGAIN?
Yes
ADVICE
* This is an important historical place to visit and to learn of the inhumanity and suffering
* Be prepared for a sobering experience
* Look at the names inside the museum grounds of the wall of victims and the names of French heroes on the wall outside the museum
* One hint to make your visit more comfortable- yes, there are lockers to put your stuff, but we only saw them at the end of walking through the entire museum. So ask where are the lockers when you enter.Written 30 August 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Carol SToano, VA61 contributionsPlanned to visit this museum when we did our self-guided tour of Montmarte. We were pleasantly surprised to see how comprehensive the collection was. It was wonderful to walk in the studios used by such great artists. Loved reading about the history of the area and seeing old photographs. Views were beautiful. The ticket price was pretty high for such a small museum.Written 4 October 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- SMLikestoTravelBengaluru, India391 contributionsWe had purchased the combo ticket covering both Saint Chapelle and Conciergerie. The tablet app that is handed as a guide is really cool. One gets to visualize how the place would have looked like back in the olden days.
Interesting anecdotes from history. Overall a nice place to visit and not too crowded either.Written 13 January 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - kappy26Boston, MA1,091 contributionsWhat a great find in Paris. A friend living in Paris told us us to go here. What a great museum of old musical instruments and they even give concerts. It is in the 19 AR and definitely worth a visit if in paris.Written 27 May 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Grant SAlnwick, UK157 contributionsHave been to Paris many times and always try to visit different attractions. Really enjoyed learning more about Victor Hugo and his amazing canon of work and its wider impact. It's a very moving and quite personal museum and even if you don't know his work it is engaging. Lovely and stylish cafe too.Written 5 February 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Dan CBoston13 contributionsA very interesting overview of the Resistance and history of France between the wars and through WWII. The museum is free. You need (free) tickets for the bunker, which is also very interesting. Lot's of steps, so limited to those able. Most of the signage is also in English, and most of the videos have English subtitles. Kids may like the bunker.Written 6 October 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- sus67London, UK268 contributionsIf you want a piece of history, go - you get to see original documents e.g. documents written by Robespierre, letters from Jeanne d'Arc, and also a model of the Bastille built from the original stone! There was also an exhibition about religion and state, which was educational. Pro: free! Con: best if you know French...Written 26 April 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Jeremy CAtlanta, GA948 contributionsWhile it would have been helpful if more of the displays were also in English, overall this was a really great way to learn about various aspects of Jewish culture and history. We particularly liked the different sections covering the variety of Jewish groups within Europe. After visiting the museum, make sure you visit the remaining Jewish section of the Marais, by the "pletzel".Written 23 September 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- jean marc BParis, France23 contributionsThe place is interesting and present the Parisian police along the centuries. It is well documented..
The museum is freeWritten 12 December 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Chip SNJ4 contributionsThis is a very quick and easy pop in museum which provides a feast for the eyes. Free, easy, gorgeous grounds. The Napoleonic treasures (paintings, uniforms, medals, etc) are fascinating and layout is very compact. So much reward for so little effort or time required. Great bag check w nice restrooms. Riggt in the shadow of the Orsay.Written 28 March 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Scott BParis, France40 contributionsWe were looking for a museum to visit on Monday and by chance found this museum. It is located across from the Montparnasse Railroad Station in the 14th arrondissement on the longest street in Paris.
We had visited there quite a few years ago for a street art expo. The space has been renovated and has 4 floors covering the history of communication from Morse code, telephone exchanges, semaphores and provides quite a bit of interesting historical information.
I enjoyed the description and short video clip of a mail-sorter working on a train especially since my grandfather rode the train from Tama, Iowa to Omaha, Nebraska and back every day for years.
Lots of information about the artwork on stamps, the history of letters and how the current mail sorting and delivery system works. An exhibit shows letters that were returned to sender including a letter addressed to Henry IV in Paris which was retuned with the note "He died in 1610"n along with several that were delivered late due to being on an airplane that crashed.
It is not expensive as museums in Paris go. The only downside for english speakers is that essentially all of the descriptions are only in French. However, there is a guide pamphlet in English. We spend an hour and one half and could have spent at least an hour more.Written 26 August 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - JRMPenetanguishene, Canada116 contributionsThe "Maison Balzac" should be of interest to any student or fan of 19th century French literature. The enigmatic writer penned much of his Comedie Humaine at this location in the now fashionable Passy quartier of western Paris. The narrow hallways and compact rooms make for a tight squeeze; but the dwelling is both manageable and charming. The tour is also pleasantly underwhelming: the exhibits and displays are easily digestible, allowing the visitor to enjoy a complete visit in less than 45 minutes. The highlight for most is Balzac's writing table and chair, basic and functional, but evocative nonetheless. Very easy to combine a visit here with one to the nearby Musee Marmatton Monet. To top it all off, the Maison Balzac is free!! Not a can't miss to be sure but an interesting, informative and rewarding diversion off the beaten track.Written 30 August 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- LocutusZurich, Switzerland393 contributionsThis was a very surprising find when we were at Invalides. It’s on the 4th floor of a wing (same wing where the temporary SAS exhibition is). The detail and size of the models are amazing. They must have been extremely valuable in terms of military strategy in the past.
There is also a section of the museum which shows how the maps were made and restored etc.Written 23 December 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Steve RTemecula, CA2,186 contributionsThis ended up being the best Museum of our trip. Being a military fan it was MUCH more than expected. First of it is HUGE! The artifacts are top notch. I mean they have napoleon's horse on display. Absolutely magnificent weapons displays all the way back to the 1400's. Believe me when I say you can't miss this. We spent double the time here compared to The Louvre.Written 14 May 2017This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- AlexanderDJackson, NJ5,743 contributionsThis is a small museum located within the Invalides. It is separate admission but is covered by the Paris Museum Pass if you have it (I did). The collection was interesting and informative and worth a few minutes especially if you have the museum pass.Written 24 August 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
