paris museum pass - is it worth it? (louvre, musee d'orsay, etc.)

(Paris, France).  The Paris Museum Pass gives entry (and preferred access) to the main museums and monuments in Paris and is sold in 2-day, 4-day or 6-day increments.  On the first day of use, sign your name and date on the back and your pass is "activated" and can be used for consecutive days of the duration of your pass.

Is it worth it?
Definitely.  It was worth it just to get preferred entry and avoid the crazy lines at the Louvre and the Musee D'Orsay.  (Unfortunately the pass does not get you past the line for the Notre Dame Cathedral but we were happy just taking pictures of the exterior.)
 

Crazy lines at the Louvre - with the museum pass, we simply walked up to the entrance and got in.

We got the 2-day pass for 42 euros per person and we used it for:

The Louvre - the entrance is at the pyramid.

• Musee Du Louvre - this is a must stop for any visit to Paris.  Of course everyone makes a beeline to the Mona Lisa, but the museum has an amazing collection of Egyptian and Mesopotamian art and antiquities that should not be missed.

  

  The Mona Lisa surrounded by a massive crowd.

  

  Everyone trying to take a picture of the Mona Lisa.

• Musee D'Orsay - literally the most amazing Impressionist collection I've ever seen - this is a must stop for any lover of Impressionist art.  It is also set in an old train station that is quite a marvel to behold.
  
  
• Centre Pompidou - Musee National D'Art Moderne - which houses a collection of modern and contemporary art including works by Picasso, Matisse, and Dali.  This wasn't that appealing to me and I wouldn't recommend it unless you are a huge fan of contemporary art.
  
•  Musee National De L'Orangerie - the highlight is the entire mural Nympheas by Monet.  Unless you are a big fan of Monet, there's no need to see both the D'Orsay and this museum.  If you had to choose, I'd recommend going to the D'Orsay.
  

There were lots of other museums and monuments available on the pass (e.g., Notre Dame Cathedral, Musee Picasso Paris, Musee Rodin, Arc de Triomphe, etc.)  but we were unable to squeeze them all into 2 days.  The Louvre itself takes at least half a day (or actually several days to do it justice) and the Musee D'Orsay also deserves at least half a day.

Tip: If you plan to go to the Louvre and a few other museums and monuments while in Paris, then you should get the Paris Museum Pass.  There's no need to buy it in advance.  We were able to get ours when we landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport at the Tourism Desk.  The staff spoke English and were very helpful. We also got our metro tickets here - you can get packs of 10 (a carnet) or day passes.

 

Beautiful sculpture at the Louvre.