Palais de Chaillot
Standing on Place du Trocadéro and wondering what the big curved white building is? It is the Palais de Chaillot. Built for the 1937 Exhibition, it now houses three museums and a national theatre. Between its two wings, the terrace offers the most famous view of the Eiffel Tower. Here is what you can visit, and how to book.
The Palais de Chaillot is four venues in one building: the Musée de l'Homme and the Musée de la Marine in the Passy wing (on your right when you face the Eiffel Tower from the terrace), the Cité de l'Architecture in the Paris wing (on your left) and the Chaillot theatre under the terrace. The three museums open 11am to 7pm and close on Tuesdays. The terrace is free and always open.
What to visit in the Palais de Chaillot
Each venue has its own ticket office. There is no combined ticket for the three museums: pick the one you like best.
Prices checked on 25/09/2026 on the official websites: Musée de l'Homme €15 (reduced €12), Cité de l'Architecture €13 (reduced €10), Musée de la Marine €15 (reduced €12). Each museum offers free entry for some visitors, for example under-18s. Some links are affiliate links (see Transparency).
The palace terrace: the Parvis des Droits de l'Homme
Between the two wings, the great terrace opens onto the Seine and the Eiffel Tower. Its official name is the Parvis des Libertés et des Droits de l'Homme (Liberties and Human Rights Square). François Mitterrand named it in 1985, in memory of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in this palace on 10 December 1948 by the UN General Assembly.
It is free and open at all times. It is the number one photo spot in Paris: the whole Eiffel Tower fits in the frame, straight on. For the best angles and quiet times, see our page on the Trocadéro esplanade.
Eating in the palace
Café de l'Homme is in the Passy wing, at the Musée de l'Homme level. Its terrace faces the Eiffel Tower. It is a proper restaurant, not a cafeteria, so booking is wise. Book a table at Café de l'Homme.
For more places with a view, see our pick of restaurants with an Eiffel Tower view.
A 1937 palace built on another one
The Palais de Chaillot was built between 1935 and 1937 for the 1937 International Exhibition, by architects Léon Azéma, Jacques Carlu and Louis-Hippolyte Boileau. It replaced the old Palais du Trocadéro, built for the 1878 Exhibition, keeping part of its frame and the shape of its two curved wings.
Lines by the poet Paul Valéry are carved into the stone of the pediments. The palace has been a listed historic monument since 1980. The full story, from Napoleon to the UN, is on our History of the Trocadéro page.
Things to do nearby
Musée de l'Homme
Hours, prices and tickets for the museum in the Passy wing.
Discover →Cité de l'Architecture
The cast gallery and the Eiffel Tower view, Paris wing.
Discover →Aquarium de Paris
Just below, in the Trocadéro gardens.
Discover →History of the Trocadéro
From the 1878 palace to the 1937 Palais de Chaillot.
Discover →Getting there
Sources (checked on 25/09/2026): Wikipedia (FR), Palais de Chaillot, musee-marine.fr, citedelarchitecture.fr, museedelhomme.fr, theatre-chaillot.fr. Some links to ticket sites are affiliate links (see Transparency).
Frequently asked questions
What is the big building opposite the Eiffel Tower?
It is the Palais de Chaillot, on Place du Trocadéro. Built for the 1937 Exhibition, it houses the Musée de l'Homme, the Musée national de la Marine, the Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine and Chaillot, the national dance theatre.
Is the Palais de Chaillot the same as the Trocadéro Palace?
Not quite. The Palais du Trocadéro was built for the 1878 Exhibition. It was largely demolished and replaced by the Palais de Chaillot for the 1937 Exhibition, which kept part of its frame. Many people still call it the "Trocadéro Palace".
Can you visit the Palais de Chaillot for free?
The terrace (the Parvis des Droits de l'Homme) is free and always open. The museums charge admission: €15 for the Musée de l'Homme and the Musée de la Marine, €13 for the Cité de l'Architecture (full prices on 25/09/2026), with free entry for some visitors, for example under-18s.
Which day are the Palais de Chaillot museums closed?
Tuesday. The three museums open on the other days from 11am to 7pm. The Cité de l'Architecture stays open until 9pm on Thursdays, and the Musée de la Marine until 10pm on the first Thursday of the month.
Is there a combined ticket for the museums in the palace?
No, each museum has its own ticket office. Book the one you want most, online, to skip the line.
One palace, three museums
Start with the terrace for the photo, then head into the Musée de l'Homme or the Cité de l'Architecture. Book online to skip the line.