Louvre Free Entry Days: Who Qualifies & How to Book

Free Louvre entry exists, but the rules are more specific than most travel guides suggest. Under-18s always enter free; EEA residents under 26 always enter free; disabled visitors plus companions always enter free. There are also two calendar-based free entry opportunities each year when the museum is free for everyone. And the single most common mistake? Showing up without a reservation. Free doesn’t mean walk-in — the Louvre requires a booked time slot for everyone, including free-entry visitors.

This guide covers every free entry route for 2026, who qualifies for each, what documentation is required, and exactly how to book your free slot.

Who Gets Free Louvre Entry Every Day

These categories get free entry year-round, every day the museum is open, regardless of nationality or date.

Under-18s (all nationalities)

Anyone under 18 enters the Louvre free, worldwide. This includes babies, toddlers, children, and teenagers up to their 18th birthday.

Documentation required: Photo ID showing the date of birth. For children without a passport, a birth certificate or school ID with DOB also works.

EEA residents aged 18–25

Citizens of European Economic Area countries (all 27 EU member states plus Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway) aged 18–25 enter free with valid photo ID.

Documentation required: EEA national identity card or passport with photo. British citizens (post-Brexit) no longer qualify unless they have EEA residency.

EEA residents with long-term residence permits (under 26)

Non-EEA citizens legally resident in an EEA country for more than 90 days, aged 18–25.

Documentation required: Photo ID plus a residence permit valid for longer than 90 days, with the holder’s name and photo.

Disabled visitors and one companion

Disabled visitors of any nationality enter free, and one accompanying person enters free as their carer.

Documentation required: Official disability card from the visitor’s home country, or equivalent medical documentation. The card is checked at entry. See Louvre Accessibility for the full accessibility experience.

Wounded veterans

Wounded veterans of any nationality enter free, with one accompanying person.

Documentation required: Certifying military or veterans’ card.

Teachers of arts subjects (EEA)

Teachers of plastic arts, archaeology, applied arts, architecture, or art history from EEA countries.

Documentation required: Card or official stamped, dated statement from the teacher’s educational institution, specifying the subject taught.

ICOM and ICOMOS members

Members of the International Council of Museums or International Council on Monuments and Sites.

Documentation required: Valid current membership card.

Journalists

Journalists with valid credentials.

Documentation required: National or international press card.

Job seekers (EEA)

Job seekers with France Travail certification or EEA member country equivalent.

Documentation required: Job-seeker certificate dated less than 6 months old.

People on French income support

French RSA (Revenu de Solidarité Active) recipients or EEA equivalent.

Documentation required: Official supporting document.

Certified tour guides

Guides and lecturers with professional certification from the French Ministries of Culture and Tourism or the French Réunion des Musées Nationaux.

Documentation required: Original professional certification. Photocopies are not accepted.

Louvre “Amis du Louvre” members

Members of the Louvre’s own membership programs (Friends of the Louvre, Louvre Young Patrons, etc.) enter free as part of their membership — and also get priority access via the Richelieu entrance.

When the Louvre Is Free for Everyone

There are two occasions per year when anyone, regardless of nationality or category, enters free.

First Friday of the month after 6:00 PM

From October through March, the Louvre is free for all visitors on the first Friday of each month from 6:00 PM until 9:45 PM closing.

Dates that apply in 2026:

• Friday 2 January 2026 (first Friday of 2026 after holidays)
• Friday 6 February 2026
• Friday 6 March 2026
• Friday 2 October 2026
• Friday 6 November 2026
• Friday 4 December 2026

Not applicable in July and August — the two summer months are excluded. (So no free first-Friday in July or August 2026.)

Warning: Free-for-everyone Fridays are the most crowded evenings at the Louvre all year. Queues form hours in advance. You still need to book a free time slot in advance to guarantee entry.

Bastille Day (14 July)

The French national holiday. The Louvre is free for everyone on 14 July each year, subject to the museum being open (it’s closed on Tuesdays, so if 14 July falls on a Tuesday, this doesn’t apply — in 2026, 14 July falls on a Tuesday, meaning the museum is closed and no free day applies this year).

For 2027: 14 July 2027 is a Wednesday — the museum will be free.

Other free days

The Louvre no longer has the traditional “first Sunday of the month” free day (this was discontinued several years ago; avoid older travel guides that reference it).

How to Book Your Free Entry Slot

Free entry does NOT mean walk-up. Every free-entry visitor needs a booked time slot or risks being refused at the door during busy periods.

Book This Tour

Step by step

1. Go to ticket.louvre.fr
2. Click “Buy tickets” or “Reservation”
3. Select “Free admission” from the ticket type options
4. Choose your specific free-entry category from the dropdown:
   • Under-18
   • EEA resident 18–25
   • Disabled + companion
   • Teacher
   • Journalist
   • Job seeker
   • Paris Museum Pass holder
   • (and other specific categories)
5. Pick your date — check availability first
6. Select a 30-minute time slot
7. Enter your details — name, email
8. Confirm the booking — no payment required
9. Receive confirmation by email — save the QR code to your phone

For children

Book a separate free slot for each under-18 child in your group. When a child is accompanied by a paying adult, both tickets can be booked in one transaction, with the free child ticket added separately within the booking flow.

For free-for-everyone days

The Louvre typically releases free slots for first-Friday evenings and Bastille Day about 90 days in advance. These slots sell out within hours. Book as early as possible — the museum’s capacity is the same as any other day, so when free slots run out, they’re gone.

Documentation Check at Entry

At the Louvre entrance, staff verify that free-entry visitors meet their category’s requirements. This happens during security screening or at the ticket check point.

Keep documents accessible:

• Passport or national ID (with DOB for under-18s and EEA under-26s)
• Residence permit (for non-EEA residents of EEA countries)
• Disability card and companion indicator (for disabled visitors)
• Teaching certificate (for qualifying teachers)
• Press card (for journalists)

If documentation is refused: You’ll be asked to buy a standard ticket. The museum staff don’t negotiate — bring original documents, not photocopies, and make sure they’re valid/current.

Common Misconceptions About Louvre Free Entry

“The first Sunday of the month is free”

False. This ended years ago. The first-Friday-of-month-evening policy replaced it, with the July/August exclusion.

“All EEA residents are free”

False. Free entry for EEA residents only applies to those aged 18–25. EEA adults over 26 pay the standard €22 EEA rate.

“Being a student gets you free entry”

False, for most students. Being a student doesn’t automatically grant free entry. However, students under 26 from EEA countries qualify via the “EEA under 26” rule. Non-EEA students (American, British, Asian) pay the standard non-EEA rate (€32) regardless of student status.

“Free entry means skip the line”

False. Free entry is exactly that — free entry. It does not include priority access or skip-the-line benefits. Free-entry visitors queue through the same security channels as paid ticket holders.

“I can just show up on a free day”

False. All visitors — even on free-for-everyone days — need a booked time slot. Walk-up entry is not guaranteed.

“My UK student ID qualifies”

False, post-Brexit. British citizens no longer qualify for EEA under-26 free entry. This applies unless they hold a separate EEA residence permit.

Practical Tips for Free-Entry Visitors

Book early. Morning slots (9:00–10:30 AM) sell out fastest, for both paid and free tickets. Peak-season weekends fill within hours of the 90-day-advance release.

Bring original documents. Photocopies and photos on phones are often refused. Bring the real card or certificate.

Double-check category spelling. The booking form has many free-entry categories; select the exact one matching your situation. The wrong category can result in a refused booking.

Skip free-for-everyone days if you hate crowds. First-Friday-of-month evenings and Bastille Day are the single most crowded times the Louvre experiences. Serious visitors often pay the ticket price on a regular day instead.

Use the Carrousel entrance. It’s quieter than the Pyramid and works for all ticket types, including free entries. See Best Louvre Entrance.

Families: book each child separately. Each under-18 child needs their own QR-code booking. Age verification documents required per child.

For large groups (7+ people): You’ll need to use the group booking system, not individual bookings. Different rules apply.

If you’re unsure whether you qualify: The Louvre’s contact form at louvre.fr answers specific queries about eligibility. Send a query before booking if you have ambiguous documentation.