Fragonard Perfume Museum: a free visit near the Opéra

What is the Fragonard Perfume Museum?

Opened in 1983 by the Grasse perfume house Fragonard, the museum occupies an 1860 Napoleon III townhouse on rue Scribe. Renovated and enlarged, it reopened in February 2022. Its collections trace thousands of years of perfumery: ancient kohl pots, pomanders, bottles and a perfumer’s organ.

How does the visit work?

• The free guided tour lasts about 30 minutes and runs in several languages, with no booking for individual visitors (groups are asked to book).
• It explains how a perfume is made, from raw materials to the bottle.
• It ends in the shop, with no obligation to buy.
• Paid perfume-making workshops are booked separately on the Fragonard website.

And the Perfume Theatre?

A few streets away, at 39 boulevard des Capucines, Fragonard reopened its Théâtre du Parfum in May 2026, set in a former theatre whose stage, boxes and velvet curtain have been kept. It is also free to visit, and makes a fine second stop after rue Scribe.

When to go and how to get there?

The museum opens every day, usually from 9 am; closing times differ between sources (5 or 6 pm, earlier on Sundays), so check the Fragonard website before you go. From the Concortel, head to boulevard Haussmann and on to the Opéra: about 10 minutes on foot (estimate). Opéra metro station (lines 3, 7 and 8) and RER A at Auber are close by.

To extend the walk, discover the Palais Garnier or another free museum nearby, the Petit Palais. More ideas in Discover Paris.