Paris Mint Museum (Musée de la Monnaie de Paris)

The Basics

Visit the Paris Mint Museum independently and wander through interactive exhibits dedicated to showcasing the know-how of the Paris Mint craftspeople; admire heritage collections of coins from France and beyond; get a behind-the-scenes insight into metalworking, coin minting, and art font techniques; and watch artisans at work. For a more in-depth visit French- and English-language tours are also available and holders of the Paris Pass benefit from free entry to the Paris Mint Museum and more.

Things to Know Before You Go

• The Paris Mint Museum is a must-visit for anyone interested in coin history or design.
• Tours are in French as standard, but English-language tours are available on request.
• Signage is in French, English, and Spanish throughout the museum.
• The Monnaie de Paris still produces limited edition coins, medals, weights and measures within the Palais Conti.
• The Paris Mint Museum has an on-site gourmet restaurant, café, and gift shop.
• The entire museum is wheelchair accessible, with loaner wheelchairs available at the front desk.

How to Get There

The Paris Mint Museum is located on the Left Bank of the River Seine, across the river from the Louvre and about a 15-minute walk from the Orsay Museum. The nearest metro stations to the museum are Pont Neuf on Line 7, Odéon on Lines 4 and 10, and Saint-Michel on Line 10. The nearest Batobus stop is Notre-Dame Quai de Montebello.

When to Get There

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday throughout the year, with annual closures on January 1, May 1, and December 25, as well as early closing on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Crowds are generally fewer on weekdays.

The Monnaie de Paris

Dating back to the 9th century, the Monnaie de Paris is the oldest continuously operating mint on earth (though its neoclassical home, the Palais de Monnaie, only dates to the late 18th century). While most of the coins produced by the Monnaie come out of an operating plant in Pessac, weights, medals, and other objects are minted in Paris to this day. The Monnaie also mints French Euros along with coins for foreign countries.

Ways to explore

Admission tickets to the Paris Mint Museum include full access to both the permanent and temporary exhibitions. Plan around 1–2 hours to explore the interactive exhibits, admire the coin collections—spanning ancient Greek artifacts to modern-day commemorative designs—have a go at striking coins, try out the augmented reality installation, and watch artisans stamping, chiseling, and engraving coins. Guided tours and workshops are also held at the museum, some of which are available in English.

Accessibility

The museum is fully wheelchair accessible, and wheelchairs are available for loan. There are also folding seats available from the ticket office, seating throughout, Braille signage and large print posters, multi-sensory exhibitions, audio commentary, and French Sign Language (LSF) subtitles for all videos. Service dogs are welcome.

Age limits

None; anyone under the age of 26 enters for free. Small strollers are permitted, but larger models must be parked in a designated area on arrival.

What to pack

Camera, photo ID (if you benefit from a reduced-rate ticket), reusable water bottle

What to wear

Comfortable shoes and clothing, so you can move freely and engage with the interactive exhibits.

Not allowed

Large bags, luggage, outside food and drinks, pets

Amenities

Restaurant, coffee shop, gift shop, free cloakroom (coats and small bags only), restrooms with baby-changing facilities, free Wi-Fi

Address

The Paris Mint Museum is located along the Left Bank (Rive Gauche) of the River Seine, across from the Louvre in Paris’ 6th Arrondissement. You can reach the museum on foot from nearby attractions, such as the Orsay Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Luxembourg Gardens (Jardin du Luxembourg), or by public transport.

Driving

With sky-high parking fees and a warren of narrow, 1-way streets, driving in the 6th Arrondissement is more hassle than it’s worth. Do as Parisians do and use public transport instead.

Public transportation

The closest metro stations are Pont Neuf (7), Odéon (4, 10), and Saint-Michel Notre Dame (10), all within a 10-minute walk. Boat cruises and hop-on hop-off ferries stop at Notre-Dame pier, also a 10-minute walk.

Best times to visit

Arrive when the museum opens at 11am to get a jump on the crowds or visit on a Wednesday evening when the museum stays open late. To avoid disappointment, it’s worth checking the schedule in advance if you want to watch the artisan demonstrations.

Best days to visit

Midweek is usually the quietest time at the museum, and it’s closed on Mondays. For free museum entry, plan a trip for the first Sunday of the month, but brace yourself for crowds, as this is one of the most popular times to visit.

Best months to visit

Like all museums in Paris, the biggest crowds come in July and August, but summer also sees an increase in workshops, demonstrations, and other activities. Late June is the perfect compromise—you’ll miss the worst of the crowds but still benefit from the summer fun.

Special events

The museum takes part in national events such as the European Heritage Days (September) and the Night of the Museums (May). It also celebrates the anniversary of the founding of the factory (June 25)—the Fête des Pîtres—with a weekend of festivities and free admission for all.