Do you need to book for the Musée Marmottan Monet?
Why there’s nothing to book
Marmottan is by far the least crowded of the three Monet museums in Paris. It's in the 16th arrondissement, by the edge of the Ranelagh garden, five minutes from La Muette, off the Louvre-Orsay circuit. Groups are rare here, and coaches don’t stop by. On a November Wednesday at 10:15 AM, you buy your ticket at the desk and stand in front of Impression, soleil levant three minutes later. I’ve lived on rue de Passy for over twenty years and have never seen the line extend beyond the sidewalk, except in the cases I describe below.
The rare times when booking helps
Two periods see longer lines: the first few weeks of a temporary exhibition, and spring weekends, when all of Paris rediscovers the Bois de Boulogne. In these cases, an online ticket—without a time slot—saves you from waiting at the desk, but it doesn’t guarantee an empty room. For that, there’s only one solution: timing. Opening at 10 a.m. or the Thursday late opening after 6:30 p.m. I cover this in more detail on the page the best time to visit.
What does require booking
The confusion comes from this: visitors search for “book the Monet museum” and land on time slots for the Orangerie or coach trips to Giverny. Those are different places. Monet’s house in Giverny is 75 km away, open from late March to November 1st, and the Marmottan + Giverny day trip that leaves from the museum must be booked, as it fits only four people in a vehicle. The Orangerie sells timed tickets, and the slot really matters there. Orsay does too. If your day combines Marmottan in the morning and one of these two museums in the afternoon, book the afternoon, not the morning.
What works
- The walk-up ticket, with no time constraints
- A visit you can decide on the same morning, depending on the weather
- No voucher to print, no ID to show
- A ticket also valid for the temporary exhibition
Good to know
- Closed on Mondays, and no app will remind you
- The Paris Museum Pass is not accepted
- On spring Saturdays, expect a wait at the ticket office
- Giverny and the Orangerie, however, require booking
Don’t book anything for the museum. Pick a day (not a Monday), come at opening time or on Thursday evening, and save your booking effort for what really fills up: the day trip to Giverny from the museum, or the Orangerie in the afternoon.
How much time to allow once inside
One to one and a half hours for Monet, up to two hours for the full tour; details are on visit duration. And if you want to make the Marmottan the starting point of a full day, the itinerary below begins at its door.
Book the Marmottan + Giverny day trip
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy the Marmottan ticket on site?
Yes, it’s even the normal way to enter. The museum states that booking isn’t mandatory. The approximate cost of admission is on the ticket prices page.
Does the museum show as sold out?
Rarely. The first days of a temporary exhibition and spring weekends are the only times the ticket desk gets busy. See the best time to visit.
Is there a time slot at the Marmottan?
No. The ticket, whether on site or online, doesn’t require a specific time. Time slots apply at the Orangerie and Orsay, explained on Marmottan or Orangerie.
So what should you book for a Monet day?
The Marmottan + Giverny day trip, which leaves from the museum in a small group, or the timed-entry ticket for the Orangerie if you're continuing in the afternoon. See all tours.