Visiting the Musée Rodin, Paris: practical guide for first-time visitors

The Musée Rodin at 77 rue de Varenne in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France holds the world’s most comprehensive collection of Auguste Rodin’s work, housed in the Hôtel Biron — an 18th-century mansion Rodin himself occupied as a tenant from 1908 until his death in 1917.

This guide was updated in June 2026.Two things to flag for 2026 visitors: the Sculpture Garden is partially inaccessible from 8 June to 24 July due to structural installation works, though all artworks remain visible; and the standard admission is now €14, whereas several well-known guides still show €13 or even €6. You can book through GetYourGuide in advance to skip the ticket queue.

Quick facts

Musée Rodin opening hours

The museum and Sculpture Garden are open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:30. The museum is closed on Mondays — a point some older guides miss. It is also closed on 1 January, 1 May, and 25 December.

Two details most guides omit: the ticket office closes at 17:30 — a full hour before the museum closes — and visitors are asked to leave the galleries 15 minutes before closing. On 24 and 31 December, the museum closes early at 17:30 with last admission at 16:45. Plan arrival before 17:30 on any visit, and before 16:45 on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Active alert (June–July 2026): From 8 June to 24 July, structural installation works make part of the Sculpture Garden inaccessible. Artworks remain visible throughout.

Musée Rodin admission prices

Standard admission is €14, confirmed on the official visitor information page. Several guides and aggregators still show €13; AFAR published €6 (the 2021 garden-only pandemic price). All prices include access to the permanent collections, the Sculpture Garden, and the current temporary exhibition. Prices include French VAT.

Free admission applies to under-18s, EU residents aged 18–25, jobseekers, RSA/ASS beneficiaries, ICOM/ICOMOS members, Paris Museum Pass holders, and many professional categories — see the official free admission page for the full list. Eligible visitors do not need to book in advance but must show valid proof at the entrance. Book your ticket through GetYourGuide to reserve a specific date and skip the queue.

How to get to the Musée Rodin

By métro, the closest stop is Varenne (line 13), a 3-minute walk to the museum entrance. Invalides (lines 8 and 13) is a 7-minute walk and offers a wider choice of connections from central Paris.

By RER, Invalides (RER C) is useful from the Right Bank and from Versailles. From the station, the museum is a 7–8 minute walk west along the boulevard.

By bus, lines 69, 82, 87, and 92 all serve the rue de Varenne area. Bus 69 connects the museum directly to the Marais and the Bastille.

By Vélib’ (Paris bike share), the nearest station is at 9 boulevard des Invalides. The museum is not accessible by car to the door — use the Boulevard des Invalides parking garage if arriving by car.

Parking at the Musée Rodin

The nearest underground car park is on the Boulevard des Invalides, a few minutes’ walk from the museum entrance. Parking in the 7th arrondissement is expensive and spaces are limited. Public transport is strongly preferable — the Varenne métro stop makes this one of the most easily reached museums in Paris.

How long to spend at the Musée Rodin

Allow 1.5 to 2.5 hours for a thorough visit. The indoor collections across the Hôtel Biron and the Chapel each take 45–60 minutes; the Sculpture Garden adds another 30–45 minutes at a comfortable pace. The audio guide (€6.50) provides over two hours of commentary for visitors who want depth. Families using the interactive tablet trail for children should add a full hour.

Accessibility at the Musée Rodin

The museum’s detailed accessibility page covers provisions by disability type. The Hôtel Biron is partially accessible to wheelchair users, as it is a listed historic building with some level changes. A lift is available. The Sculpture Garden paths are paved and broadly accessible. Tactile signage and a Braille trail are provided. Disabled visitors and one accompanying companion receive free admission on presentation of valid proof. The toilets reserved for disabled visitors are on the first floor of the permanent collections entrance hall.

Only umbrella-type strollers are permitted inside the museum. All suitcases and large bags are prohibited under Vigipirate security rules; only small backpacks are allowed. A free cloakroom is available at the entrance to the permanent collections in the Hôtel Biron.

What to see at the Musée Rodin

The Thinker (Le Penseur, 1880–1882) stands in the Sculpture Garden in its monumental casting — 6 feet tall on a plinth among rose beds. Originally conceived as Dante surveying The Gates of Hell, it was first exhibited independently in 1888 and enlarged to its iconic scale in 1902.

The Gates of Hell (La Porte de l’Enfer) dominates the central axis of the Sculpture Garden. Commissioned in 1880 for a never-built Museum of Decorative Arts, the monumental bronze — 6 metres tall, with over 180 figures — occupied Rodin for nearly four decades without completion in his lifetime. The first full bronze edition was cast in 1926, nine years after his death.

The Kiss (Le Baiser, 1882) is displayed in marble in the Hôtel Biron. Rodin himself later dismissed it as too conventional — a tension between public success and private doubt that runs throughout the collection. It was originally conceived as a detail of The Gates of Hell.

The Burghers of Calais (Les Bourgeois de Calais, 1884–1895) stands in the Sculpture Garden. Rodin rejected the conventional heroic pose and showed the six citizens who offered themselves as hostages to Edward III at human scale, with grief and resolve in equal measure.

Camille Claudel’s works are displayed throughout the Hôtel Biron. The museum holds significant independent pieces including L’Âge mûr and the marble La Vague — both reward close attention alongside Rodin’s work in the same rooms.

The Chapel (Studio Rodin) houses temporary exhibitions in the private chapel adjacent to the Hôtel Biron. It is the only air-conditioned space in the museum — a significant consideration in summer.

Practical tips for visiting the Musée Rodin

Musée Rodin FAQ

Things to do near the Musée Rodin

Musée d’Orsay is a 12-minute walk east along the Seine embankment and holds France’s national collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist art, including the world’s largest Monet collection and major works by Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Degas. A combined ticket with the Musée Rodin costs €25.

Les Invalides (Musée de l’Armée) is a 5-minute walk north and occupies the same broad esplanade as the Rodin museum. It houses Napoleon’s tomb, one of the most visited sites in Paris, alongside French military collections from medieval armour to the Second World War. A combined ticket with the Musée Rodin costs €26.

Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac is a 15-minute walk west along the Seine and holds the national collections of arts and civilisations from Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. It is architecturally striking — a Jean Nouvel building with a living plant wall — and less crowded than most major Paris museums. A combined ticket with the Musée Rodin costs €23.

Café L’Augustine is the museum’s own café-restaurant, located in the heart of the Sculpture Garden. It offers light meals, a seasonal daily special, and outdoor seating among the rose beds. No admission ticket to the museum is required to access the café during opening hours.

Palais Bourbon (Assemblée Nationale) is directly across the Seine from the Musée d’Orsay and 10 minutes’ walk from the Musée Rodin. Free guided tours of the French National Assembly’s chamber are available on Saturdays (identity document required at the entrance).

Similar sculpture museums and art museums to visit near Paris

Centre Pompidou, Paris holds Europe’s largest collection of modern and contemporary art, including major works by Picasso, Matisse, and Kandinsky. It is in the Marais, around 35 minutes by métro from the Musée Rodin (line 13 to Châtelet, then line 11 to Rambuteau). Admission €15.

Musée de Cluny (National Museum of the Middle Ages), Paris is around 30 minutes’ walk east through Saint-Germain-des-Prés and holds the original Lady and the Unicorn tapestry series, the finest collection of medieval art in France, and a significant collection of Romanesque sculpture.

Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris holds the world’s largest single-artist Monet collection — over 300 works — in a former hunting lodge in the 16th arrondissement. Around 25 minutes from the Musée Rodin by métro (line 13 to La Muette). Admission €14.

Château de Versailles, Versailles is 30 minutes by RER C from Invalides and is the most visited historic monument in France. The palace, Grands Appartements, and gardens together represent a half-day commitment. The Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon require separate tickets. Day-visitor admission from €21.50.

Musée Rodin – Meudon is the second site of the Musée Rodin, around 25 minutes from Paris by suburban train, at the Villa des Brillants where Rodin lived and worked in his final years. Self-guided visits are free throughout the opening period, making it a compelling addition for visitors who want to spend more time with Rodin’s world beyond the Hôtel Biron.