French Museums to Offer Free Admission

Travel Blog • Michael Yessis • 10.24.07 | 2:05 PM ET

France’s culture minister Christine Albanel announced that 14 museums in the country will offer free admission during the first six months of 2008. The most famous museums in Paris—the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay and the Centre Pompidou—will also take part on a limited basis, according to the AFP. It’s all welcome news for budget travelers, particularly those who have grown accustomed to free museums in Washington D.C., Britain and elsewere in Europe. Albanel said it’s part of an effort to “inspire desire—desire for artistic experiences and culture—in people who are not familiar with these places.”

Another objective, according to the AP: to attract people who would “usually rather watch television.”