The Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget recently celebrated its 100th anniversary! An opportunity to discover or rediscover its impressive collections, making it France's most important aeronautical museum. Follow this guide to visit the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget, and get all the information you need for a trip to Paris, rain or shine: site presentation, collections, prices, opening hours, access and length of visit.
What is the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace?
The Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace opened its doors in 1919, making it the world's oldest museum dedicated to aeronautics. It is located directly on the site of Le Bourget airport. A visit to the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget gives you access to its rich collection of over 150 aircraft, on display indoors and out, as well as to other treasures, such as airships and simulators, which we present below. For all these reasons, it really is one of France's finest museums!
What are the must-sees?
When it comes to visiting the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget, there are a few must-sees:
- The Concorde: there are two Concorde aircraft, the 001 prototype of this legendary supersonic aircraft, and the Concorde Sierra Delta, one of the last Air France Concordes. You'll find them in the Concorde hall.
- The Dupuy-de-Lôme airship gondola: in the Grande Galerie, you'll find this 19th-century airship alongside other aircraft, making a perfect outing with children on a rainy day.
- La Demoiselle de Santos-Dumont: one of the first mass-produced models. You'll find it in the Grande Galerie.
- The Pescara helicopter: this 1925 experimental helicopter is one of the museum's oldest exhibits, and can be found in the Helicopter Hall.
- The Bréguet XIX TF Super Bidon: the first aircraft to make the Paris-New York crossing can be found in the Entre-deux-guerres hall.
- The Soyuz T-6 capsule: you'll be able to see this space-travelling capsule in the Space hall.
- The Boeing 747-128: the first civilian jumbo jet, it revolutionized aviation. You'll find it right on the tarmac.
- Dassault Mystère IV A-01: visible in the prototype hall, it was the first French aircraft to break the sound barrier.
- Dassault Mirage 2000: the prototype fighter used by the French Air Force since 1984, can be seen in the Cocarde hall.
How to organize your visit? Which exhibitions are not to be missed?
You can visit the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget on your own or on a guided tour. Guided tours last 1 h 30 and cost an additional €6. There are different themes, such as the museum discovery tour, the space tour or the family tour, perfect for an outing with children. You'll find the tour schedule on the museum's website.
Make sure you bring good shoes, as the museum is very large. It is divided into three main areas, themselves divided into several halls featuring a variety of not-to-be-missed permanent exhibits, sometimes supplemented by temporary exhibitions.
The Grand Gallery :
- The Hall of Eight Columns
- The Pioneers of the Air hall
- The Great War hall
The tarmac :
- The Second World War hall
- Concorde hall
- The tarmac
- The terraces
The halls :
- Prototype hall
- Hall de la Cocarde
- Helicopter hall
- The Entre-deux-guerres hall
- Space hall
- Normandie-Niemen Hall
What are the museum's opening times and prices?
There are two types of ticket to visit the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget. The check-in ticket gives access to the permanent and temporary exhibitions, and the Boarding Pass ticket gives additional access to the interior of the Boeing 747, the Douglas C-47 Dakota and the two Concorde aircraft. Prices are as follows:
- Check-in ticket: free for under-26s, €17 full price, €14 reduced price, notably for Navigo pass holders, jobseekers, RSA or APSA beneficiaries. Admission is free on the first Sunday of the month.
- Boarding Pass: free for children under 4, €6 from 4 to 18, €8 from 19 to 25, €17 full price, €14 reduced price, especially for holders of a Navigo pass, jobseekers, RSA or APSA beneficiaries.
As for opening hours, the museum is open all year round, Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 6 p.m. between April and September.
How do I get to the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace?
Visiting the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace is an easy way out of Paris. By car from Porte de la Chapelle, just take theA1 to the "Aéroport du Bourget"exit . Alternatively, by public transport, the easiest way is to take bus lines 610, 350, 152 or 148 to the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace stop, or metro line 7 to La Courneuve and then bus 152.
How long does it take to visit the museum?
Allow at least 2 hours 30 minutes to visit the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget.
