The Louvre gives free admission to teachers of art, art history, applied arts, design, architecture and archaeology from any country in the European Economic Area (EEA). It’s a free-entry category on the Louvre admission page, not a discount, and the page doesn’t list teachers from outside the EEA.
If you teach art history or architecture somewhere in the EEA and you’re planning a weekend in Paris of your own, this is worth setting up before you leave. If you teach in the U.S., the page isn’t written for you, and we’d rather say that plainly than hand you a discount that isn’t there. The non-EEA visitor rate is €32.00, and there’s one free window for everybody, covered below.
How To Get The Louvre Teacher Discount
The admission page says you present a valid card or a stamped and signed statement for the current school year that indicates the subject you teach, along with a photographic ID. It doesn’t say which cards count, so a signed and stamped statement from your school that names your subject is the safest thing to carry. A time-slot booking is recommended even for free admission.
The Louvre’s French help-center article adds the booking detail: reserve the free slot on the official ticket office and choose the category “Visiteurs porteurs de cartes professionnelles,” which means visitors with professional cards. The admission page also says that during some periods reservations are required for every visitor, with a list of cardholders who are exempt, so book ahead rather than counting on a walk-up.
Who Counts As A Teacher
The wording is narrow: teachers of art, art history, applied arts, design, architecture and archaeology, from any EEA country. A math teacher, a history teacher or a language teacher isn’t on that list. The help-center article words the art route even more tightly, naming visual arts, archaeology, applied arts, architecture and art history only.
What Everyone Else Pays
The EEA visitor rate is €22.00 for residents and citizens of the EEA, and the non-EEA visitor rate is €32.00 for non-residents and non-citizens. The Louvre is also free for all visitors on the first Friday evening of most months, after 6 p.m., and the page lists two summer months as exceptions. For a teacher who doesn’t fit the free category, that evening is the cheapest way in.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
The Louvre’s French help-center article says free entry also goes to teachers who present a valid “Pass Education” that bears the school’s stamp, with a photo ID, and that the e-pass education, the i-Colibri and a payslip don’t count. The English admission page doesn’t list that route, so we can’t tell you who issues the pass or which teachers hold one. If you have one, ask the museum before you rely on it. We also couldn’t find a list of which cards count under the admission page’s “valid card” wording.
Q&A
Is the Louvre free for teachers?
For teachers of art, art history, applied arts, design, architecture and archaeology from any EEA country, yes. The admission page lists them among the visitors who get in free.
Do U.S. teachers get in free?
The page doesn’t list teachers from outside the EEA. The non-EEA visitor rate is €32.00.
What do I bring?
A valid card or a stamped and signed statement for the current school year that says the subject you teach, plus a photographic ID.
Do I need to book?
The page recommends a time-slot booking, including for free admission, and says reservations are required for every visitor during certain periods.
Is there a free time for anyone to visit?
Yes. The page says the Louvre is free for all visitors on the first Friday of the month after 6 p.m., with two summer months excepted.
More Information:
The details above come from the Louvre’s own admission page and its French help-center article as they loaded when we checked, and they change without notice. See more entertainment discounts for teachers for other days out.
