Paris Museum Shows & Exhibits:  Schedule for 2025

A huge and exciting assortment of temporary Paris museum exhibitions and show help cement the City of Light's well-earned reputation as the cultural capital of the world.

The Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Picasso Museum, Centre Pompidou, Grand Palais, Fondation Louis Vuitton, Rodin Museum, Grande Halle de la Villette, Atelier des Lumières, Musée de l'Orangerie and top respositories of art, design, fashion, history, and culture typically offer multiple exhibitions each year.  

For Parisians and visitors alike, these museum shows provide an essential part of the city's dynamic cultural life as well as the source of entertainment, education, and enjoyment.  

Although Paris's art museums host many of these exhibitions, you'll also find them in the city's history museums, science museums, military museums, and other venues including special galleries and halls.

What will you experience?  Everything from an in-depth view at Yves Saint Laurent's impact on design to a David Hockney retrospective... a blockbuster exhibition of paintings, sculpture, photography, design, cinema, and an exploration of Japanese manga as an art... the evolution of sneakers to a digital art show featuring Picasso.

In my own experience, these shows are always worth seeing.  The museums and galleries included in this article are all on my own "short list" of places where I try to never miss an exhibition, and among the many Paris attractions that lure me back to this wonderful city again and again.

Some of these museum exhibitions and shows require a special event ticket (usually about 10€-20€) but most are included with the general admission ticket.  A few are free.  

To find out about all Paris museums, monuments (plus institutions focused on collections, research, and displays, such as botanical gardens, zoos, and aquariums), check out our Paris Museums and Monuments Complete Guide.

If you're visiting Paris and plan to visit other museums and attractions, you may save a lot with a Paris Museum Pass, which gives you skip-the-line free entry at selected museums by booking in advance.

I've packed a lot into this article, so use these links to get to your favorite museum categories:

• Art Museum Exhibitions
• History & Historical House (& Palace) Museums
• Fashion & Decorative Arts Museums
• Science & Technology Museums
• Military Museums

Top photo:  Cezanne show at Atelier des Lumières, (c) Paris Discovery Guide

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Paris Art Museum Exhibitions - 2025

Louvre Museum Exhibitions

• Louvre Couture: Art & Fashion Statement Pieces - A major exhibition tracing decorative styles with 65 designs from Byzantium through the Second Empire on display.  If you think of the Louvre as just a place to see the Mona Lisa and other paintings, this show may change your mind! 
  Insider's Tip: If you love this exhibition and have a spare hour or two, wander over to the nearby Musée des Arts Décoratifs housed in the Louvre's West Wing (you have to leave the Louvre Museum and go around to Rue de Rivoli to access it) where you'll find even more exhibits dedicated to fashion, decorative arts, and design.
  Dates:  Through July 21
• A New Look at Cimabue - A major retrospective exhibition dedicated to this important but little-known 13th century Italian artist, whose most famous work, the Maestà is considered ground-breaking for bringing then-revolutionary for its touches of realism and emotional expressions.
  Dates:  Through May 12
• Near Eastern Antiquities from the Met - Ten major works dating from the 4th millennium BC and the 5th century AD from Central Asia, Syria, and Iran (Mesopotamia) on line from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art will be paired with pieces from the Louvre, which has its own outstanding collection of art from these regions.
  Dates:  Through September 28, 2025

Tickets: Book in advance with a reserved time slot and skip-the-line access; can also book in advance for free admission with a Paris Museum Pass
Location:  Rue de Rivoli, Paris 1;  Metro: Palais Royal/Musée du Louvre

More Ways to See the Louvre Museum:

Interested in a Louvre Museum guided tour?  Find out how to choose the best one to match your interests

Orsay Museum (Musée d'Orsay) Exhibitions

• Christian Krohg (1852-1925): The People of the North - The painter's first retrospective of his naturalist works outside of Scandinavia.
  Dates:  Through July 27
• Art Is in the Streets - A major exhibition of almost 300 illustrated posters by Bonnard, Grasset, Mucha, Toulouse-Lautrec, with an immersion in the 19th-century city’s visual world.
  Dates:  Through July 6
• Je Photo - An extensive look at the work of Gabrielle Hébert, the first chronicler of Villa Medici and of passionate love.
  Dates: October 28 - February 15, 2026
• Sargent: The Paris Years - With over 90 major works, this exhibition brings together some of this famous American painter's most seminal works.
  Dates:  September 23, 2025 - January 11, 2026

Musée d'Orsay Tickets: Book a reserved access ticket for skip-the-line access, or use your Paris Museum Pass for free entry
Location: 1 Rue de la Légion d'Honneur, Paris 7;  Metro: Pont de l'Alma; Invalides

More about what to see at the Orsay Museum

Atelier des Lumières Exhibitions 2025

Picasso: Art in Motion - Feel the creative energy of Pablo Picasso in this new immersive exhibition exploring his constant reinvention of his art and surrealism from the bullring to Guernica to nightlife of Parisian cafes, and circus performers, combined, as always at Atelier des Lumieres, with music and light.

Rousseau: A World of Dreams - Experience the imaginary parallel universe created by "naive" artist Henri Rousseau where dreamlike botanical kingdoms complete with tigers, lush foliage, and imaginary landscapes drenched with color won the admiration of Picasso, Kadinsky, Apollinaire, and other avant-garde 20th century artists.

Dates for both shows:  Through June 29

Tickets:  18€ adults for timed entry, with reduced rates for families, youth, seniors; we recommend to purchase online; you can also purchase at the door for 2€ more per ticket but there's no guarantee you'll get in as timeslots are often fully booked, plus why spend more?
Getting there:  38 Rue Saint Maur, 11th arrondissement;  Metro: Saint-Maur

Please note:  Atelier des Lumieres closes each year from the second week in January through the first week or two in February.

Centre Pompidou Exhibitions 2025

Centre Pompidou, with its famous "inside out" design, will be closed from the fall of 2025 to 2030 while undergoing major structural repairs as well as an expansion.  Closure of much of the permanent exhibitions area has already happened. 

While Pompidou is closed, it will host some shows offsite, including one on art brut (Outsider Art) at the Grand Palais, possibly several others at the Louvre, and also touring shows.

But, if you're hoping to visit the actual Centre sometime this decade, you need to come within the next few months.  I've come a couple of times recently, and each visit feels like saying "adieu" to an old friend - even though 2030 is probably not as distant as it seems right now.

Here are current major exhibitions:

• Suzanne Valadon - About 200 paintings and drawings organized into five themes show the artistic development of this Montmartre model-turned-artist, known especially for her boldly realistic paintings of nudes.
  Dates:  Through May 26, 2025; Level 6
• Paris Noir - This exhibition of about 150 works by Afro-descendant artists, most of which have never before been shown in Franc, traces the presence and influence of Black artists in France between the 1940s and 2000s.
  Dates:  Through June 30, 2025; Level 6
• Wolfgang Tillmans - In this final exhibition before Pompidou closes for renovations, German artist Wolfgang Tillmans will mount a large exhibition in the 2nd level exploring the form and function of the Center's library through photographs, video, music, text, and performance.
  Dates:  June 13 - September 22, 2025; Level 2 - book your ticket early, as I'm sure I'm not the only one who will be planning one last visit before the 5-year closure.

Open:  Daily, except for Tuesdays and May 1, with early closure (7pm on December 24 and 31.

Pompidou Tickets:  15€ adults; book online (includes some shows plus permanent collections) or use your Paris Museum Pass for free entry; shows in several galleries require an additional ticket at (usually) an extra cost of 1-2€, so book the "permanent and temporary" ticket if you want to see one of these exhibits. 
Getting there:  Rue Saint-Martin between Rue Rambuteau and Rue Merri, 4th;  Metro:  Rambuteau, Hôtel de Ville, Châtelet; RER: Châtelet les Halles, lines A, B, D

Musée de Cluny - What's On

• Summon the Chimeras: Medieval Heritage in Contemporary Art - A display of 15 contemporary artworks placed throughout the museum to highlight how these mythical creatures from the Middle Ages continue to inhabit our imaginations today.
  Dates:  Through July 20

Tickets:  12€.  Get your Musée de Cluny at the door (there's usually a line but it moves fairly quickly) or online, or use your Paris Museum Pass for free entry
Cluny Location:  28 rue Du Sommerard, 75005;  Metro: Cluny-La Sorbonne, Saint-Michel, Odéon; Open daily except Mondays from 9:30am - 6:15pm, and until 9pm on the first and third Thursdays of each month

Free:  First Sunday of every month; with ID, free for everyone under 18 and EU citizens under 26

Closed: January 1, May 1, December 25

Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson

Created by street photography pioneer Henri Cartier-Bresson, his wife, photographer Martine Franck, and their daughter, the Fondation preserves the work of Cartier-Bresson and Franck.  It also hosts revolving exhibitions of their and other photographers' work, including 20th and 21st century masters as well as emerging artists.

• Richard Avedon: In the American West - Although American photographer Richard Avedon is perhaps best remembered for his fashion photography in Vogue, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar, some of his most memorable portraits are of ordinary people whom he encountered during a 5-year odyssey to capture his vision of the rural American West.  In this exhibition, the Foundation presents for the first time in Europe all of the photos that Avedon took before selecting 103 for his final series.  You'll also see test prints and other artifacts from the process of producing his book, In the American West, which is being reissued.
  Dates:  April 30 - October 12

Tickets:  10€ adults; find details and hours on the Fondation website
Location: 29 Rue des Archives, Paris 3 (Upper Marais);  Metro: Temple

Musée de l'Orangerie Exhibitions

In addition to the permanent exhibition of Monet's famous water lily paintings (which, at least for me, never get old, no matter how many times I've seen them), the museum mounts shows featuring (usually) modern and contemporary artists that are always worth seeing:

• David Claerbout - Paintings and videos by this contemporary artist who combines photography, video, and digital arts to erase the divisions between reality and fiction while exploring the passage of time through miniscule changes.
  Dates:  Through June 9
• Out of Focus: Another Vision of Art from 1945 to Present - Was the blurriness in Monet's later work due to loss of vision or an aesthetic choice in response to the ambiguities in the post-World War II world?  This exhibition explores the latter possibility in the context of modern and contemporary art.
  Dates:  Through August 18
• Berthe Weill: Art Dealer of the Parisian Avant-Garde - This exhibition pays homage to Weill's exhibitions promoting Picasso, Matisse, Diego Rivera, Modigliani, and other young artists who would go on to become the giants of their generation.
  Dates:  October 8 - January 26

Tickets:  12.50€.  Get your Musée de l'Orangerie tickets at the door or online (includes permanent collections and special exhibitions), save with a combo ticket for skip-the-line museum entrance and a Seine River cruise, or use your Paris Museum Pass for free entry
Musee de l'Orangerie Location:  Tuileries Garden (southwest corner), 75001;  Metro:  Concorde, Assemblée Nationale
Closed: Tuesdays

More Ways to See Musée de l'Orangerie

Musée du Quai Branly 

Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel with a circular top-to-bottom route emulating the flow of a river (and symbolically, cultures), this museum focuses on the artistic and cultural expressions of indigenous people in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas.  

In addition to revolving displays from its massive permanent collection (which includes numerous items believed to have been unethically obtained during France's colonial occupations), the museum features a number of special exhibitions each year.

• Golden Thread - The art of dressing from North Africa to the Far East
  Dates: Through June 6, 2025
• Objects: Ways of Seeing - An exploration of the crossroads between surrealism, ethnology and archaeology between World Wars 1 and II in France, focusing on the question of what to do with objects
  Dates: Through June 22, 2025

Tickets: 14€ adults; includes permanent collections & temporary exhibitions in the Garden Gallery; some special shows may require a separate ticket but those are usually quick to buy once you're inside the museum.  Book online, or get free entry (not including ticketed shows) with a Paris Museum Pass
Location: 37 Quai Branly (almost next door to the Eiffel Tower), 7th arrondissement;  Metro/RER: Pont d'Alma

Fluctuart

A floating gallery devoted to urban art, street art, and grafitti art, with a popular barge-top bar overlooking the Seine River.

• Toqué Freres - Colorful messages from this duo of expert typographers
  Dates:  Tlhrough June 1
• Permanent Exhibition - See works by Miss Tic, C215, Invader, Banksy, Vhils, Shepard Fairey, Zevs, Jef Aerosol, and more urban artists on the main deck
  Dates:  Ongoing

Admission: Free
Where:  A floating barge anchored to the Seine River bank, by the Port des Invalides bridge, Paris 7; open Wednesday-Sunday (winter) and everyday (summer) from 12pm - 2am; Metro:  Invalides

Musée Banksy (The Banksy Museum)

• The World of Banksy: The Immersive Experience - Immerse yourself in reproductions of almost 100 works by the famous but mysterious street artist Banksy.  Optional: Visit a recreation in Paris of The Walled Off Hotel - which is also an actual (and quite cool) hotel where you can book a stay.
  Dates:  Ongoing; permanent exhibit

Tickets: 16€ for adults - Book online
Where:  44 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, Paris 9; closed on Mondays; Metro:  Le Peletier

Fondation Cartier for Contemporary Art

Please note:  Fondation Cartier is currently closed while it moves from its long-time location in a Jean Nouvel-designed building on Boulevard Raspail to its new (and equally gorgeous) home on Place du Palais Royal across from the Louvre. 

The expected reopening is in Fall, 2025.  Meanwhile, watching the new building take shape has been a fascinating experience.

Location: Place du Palais Royal, Paris 1;  Metro:  Palais Royal

Closed: January 1, May 1, December 25; early closing at 4pm on December 24 and 31

Fondation Louis Vuitton (Louis Vuitton Foundation)

Fondation Louis Vuitton mounts two major exhibitions each year of modern or contemporary artists, usually separated by a gap of about 4-6 weeks.  During the gap period, FLV displays art from its permanent collection, and usually (although not always) reduces the admission charge.

• David Hockney 25 - The famous English artist will take over FLV's entire exhibition space to present over 400 of his most influential works ranging from his legendary Pop Art creations of the late 1950s and 1960s through the present time.  What makes this show extra special is Hockney's own involvement in its development spanning 70 years of his creations.
  Dates:  April 9 - August 31, 2025

Tickets:  Book in advance (includes premium access through a special entrance, permanent and temporary exhibitions, a downloadable audio guide, round-trip shuttle pick up/drop off across from Arc de Triomphe, and free entrance from the Foundation to its neighbor, Jardin d'Acclimatation)
Location: 8 Avenue du Mahatma Gandhi, Bois de Boulogne, Paris 16;  Metro: Les Sablons, plus about a 10-minute walk (or take the shuttle bus included with the ticket)

More about what to see & do at Fondation Louis Vuitton

Institut du Monde Arabe (Arab World Institute) Exhibitions

• Treasures Rescued from Gaza: 5,000 Years of History - See 130 masterpieces from an archaeological collection of amphoras, statuettes, funerary relics, lamps, and more dating from the Bronze Age to the Ottoman era.
  Dates:  April 3 - November 2
• Photographing Lebanon's Heritage: 1864-1970 - Photographs of a dozen different locations in Lebanon, featuring landscapes, monuments, and social and economic life.
  Dates:  April 3 - November 2
• Writing or Calligraphy? The Sublimated Arabic Alphabet - An exploration of the diversity of Arabic calligraphy across the centuries.
  Dates:  Through  September 21

Tickets:  Range from about 8€-19€ adults, depending on the exhibition; includes permanent collections plus temporary exhibition; find details and get tickets on the Institute website; free access with a Paris Museum Pass to permanent collection only
Location: 1 Rue des Fossés Saint-Bernard, Paris 5;  Metro: Cardinal Lemoine or Sulland-Morland (walk across bridge)

Paris Discovery Tip:  While you're there, stop by the 9th floor terrace for spectacular views of Paris (you can see the view here) and treat yourself to refreshing mint tea and Lebanese pastries served most afternoons.  The restaurant also serves delicious Lebanese cuisine in the evenings and offers the same wonderful views from its enclosed space.

Guimet Museum (National Museum of Asian Art) Exhibitions

• Marc Riboud: Photographs of Vietnam 1966-1976 - In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, this show features Mark Riboud's photos showing the human faces of this war amid the ruins, makeshift shelters, refugee camps, and destroyed villages.
  Dates:  Through May 12
• Royal Bronzes of Angkor, an Art of the Divine - Many of the masterpieces in this exhibition are being shown outside of Cambodia for the first time.
  Dates:  April 30 - September 8
• Manga, Quite an Art! - See a diverse selection of manga in its cultural context, as well as 18th and 19th century paintings, scrolls, and books in which similar concepts appear. Part of the show focuses on Hokusai's famous print, Under the Great Wave of Kanagawa, and its use as a recurring motif in French and Belgium manga and comics.
  Dates:  November 19 - March 9, 2026

Tickets:  13€ adults; includes permanent collections plus most exhibitions; buy online or enter free with a Paris Museum Pass
Location: 6 Place d'Iéna, Paris 16;  Metro:  Iéna

Check out our complete guide to Paris museums & monuments

Grand Palais Immersif 

The Grand Palais Immersif, a new-ish exposition venue near Place de la Bastille which opened in 2024, offers an immersive cultural experience combining art and technology. 

• PIXELS - An Interactive Experience with the Creative Universe of AI - A multimedia immersive show focused on the senses - fun for all ages.
  Dates:  Through April 27

Tickets:  Buy online
Where:  110 Rue de Lyon  (Opera Bastille complex; entrance is on the side of the building), Paris 12; Metro: Place de la Bastille

Maison Européenne de la Photographie

Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) is where you can see some of the top exhibitions of contemporary photography in Europe as well as occasional retrospectives of major 20th century photographers. 

MEP presents three exhibitions seasons each year, typically showing the work of a major French or international artist on the first two floors and recent work by one or more emerging artists in other spaces.

MEP is on my own short-list of places where I catch its exhibitions whenever I'm in Paris.

Through May 18: 

• Dennis Morris: Music + Life - Portraits with Bob Marley, the Sex Pistols, Patti Smith, and the Stone Roses
• Chia Huang (2/5 - 3/30) and Amadine Kuhlmann (4/3 - 5/18) - Recent work

June 4 - September 28: 

• Marie-Laure de Decker - Restrospective including her photos of major conflicts of the 20th century
• Ilanit Illouz (6/4 - 7/13) - Recent work

October 15 - January 25, 2026: 

• Edward Weston: Becoming Modern - The show traces his shift from 19th century Pictorialism to a new Modernist style
• Tyler Mitchell: Wish This Was Real - First solo exhibition in France of this American photographer and video artist whose work redefined the depiction of black American communies
• Felipe Romero Beltran (10/15 - 12/7) and Sarah Van Rij (12/11 - 1/25/26) - Recent work

Tickets:  14€ adults - sometimes a short line, but usually moves fast; you can also book online for an extra euro; museum website; closed on Mondays
Location: 5 Rue de Fourcy, Paris 4;  Metro:  Saint Paul

Please be aware that MEP typically closes for a couple of weeks between exhibitions.

Closed: January 1, May 1, December 25

Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris Exhibitions

• Oliver Beer - Reanimation Paintings: A Thousand Voices
  Dates:  Through July 13
• Matisse & Marguerite - Paintings and drawings by Matisse and others of his oldest daughter, Marguerite
  Dates:  April 4 - August 24
• Gabriele Munter: Paintings without Detours - A retrospective including about 170 works by  this pioneer of Modern Art
  Dates:  April 4 - August 24

Tickets: Free admission to the galleries showing pieces from the museum's permanent collection.  Tickets required for most temporary exhibitions (if you're interested in modern and contemporary art, they are usually well worth seeing); book online
Location: 11 Avenue du President Wilson, Paris 16;  Metro: Iéna

Musée Maillol

Created by Dina Vierny, art collector, French Résistance agent, and Maillol's last model, Musée Maillol displays numerous works by the sculptor and from Vierny's personal collection of other 20th century masters, plus highly regarded exhibitions of modern and contemporary art.

• Robert Doisneau - Around 400 photographs, including some of this 20th century photojournalist's most iconic works.  This is sure to be a blockbuster exhibition, so you should plan to get your ticket in advance.
  Dates:  April 17 - October 12

Tickets:  16.50€ adults (12.50€ on Wednesdays); includes permanent collections plus exhibition; museum website; if you visit during the day, lines are usually short, but if you come in the evening, Wednesday, or weekends, get your ticket in advance on the website as lines to get in can be quite long and for the most popular shows, some or most evenings sell out
Open:  Daily, 10:30am - 6:30pm, and until 10pm on Thursdays
Location: 59 Rue de Grenelle, Paris 7;  Metro: Rue du Bac

Musée Picasso Exhibitions

• "Degenerate" Art: Modern Art on Trial under the Nazis
  Dates:  Through  March 25, 2025
• Revoir Picasso:  A look at Picasso's most emblematic works
  Dates:  Through  March 12, 2027
• Guillermo Kuitca:  A site-specific "cubistoid" painting created by the Argentine artist in the chapel of Hôtel Salé, which the museum occupies
  Dates:  Through  December 31, 2027

Tickets:  Book your Picasso Museum ticket or enter free of charge with a Paris Museum Pass.  For a VIP experience, book a private small-group tour.
Location: 5 Rue de Thorigny, Paris 3;  Metro: Saint-Paul or Filles du Calvaire

Musée Rodin Exhibitions

• Roses in Bloom in the Garden - This annual display of color reaches its peak during May and June, with continuing blooms throughout the summer and fall; even if you're not a fan of Rodin's art, the gardens alone are worth a visit (unfortunately, you can no longer enter the garden without a ticket).

Tickets:  Choose a Rodin Museum ticket only, or get a combined ticket for both the Rodin and Picasso museums; all ticket types also include permanent collections.  You can also use a Paris Museum Pass for free admission
Location: 77 Rue de Varenne, Paris 7;  Metro: Varenne

Palais de Tokyo 

• Renée Levi: La Elle - A vast mural on the museum's interior walls and windows with the appearance of stained glass.
  Dates:  Through May 11
• Raphael Barontini: Somewhere in the Night, The People Dance - A reinterpretation of African and Caribbean history and fiction by blending narratives with paintings, costumes, texties, sound, and performances.
  Dates:  Through May 11
• Collective Joy: Learning Flamboyance - An examination of popular cultures of gathering and group dynamics through the works of French and international artists.
  Dates:  Through May 11

Tickets:  12€ adults; museum website
Location: 13 Avenue du President Wilson, Paris 16;  Metro: Iena

Petit Palais

• Jewelry Designs: Secrets of the creation
  Dates:  Through July 20, 2025
  Tickets:  Free
• Worth: Inventing Haute Couture - A joint exhibition with Palais Galliera of over 400 creations of the House of Worth, founded by in Paris by English couturier Charles Frederick Worth
  Dates:  May 7 - September 7, 2025
  Tickets (free for under 18 year olds)

Admission:  Free for permanent collections and a few temporary exhibitions but tickets (cost varies) usually required for special exhibits; buy at the door, or online
Location:  Avenue Winston Churchill, Paris 8;  Metro:  Champs-Elysées Clemenceau

Pinault Collection

• Body and Soul - An exploration of the human body in paintings, sculpture, photography, video, and drawings as seen through the works of 20 artists and 100 works from the Pinault Collection
  Dates:  Through August 25, 2025

Location: Bourse de Commerce, 2 Rue de Viarmes, Paris 1;  Metro: Rue de Rivoli or Les Halles - Tickets

Check out our complete guide to Paris museums & monuments

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Paris History & Historical House (& Palace) Museum Exhibitions & Shows

Chateau de Versailles Exhibitions & Shows

Although the Palace of Versailles needs no introduction, three special shows in the Gardens take place from mid-spring through mid-fall and are well-worth seeing if you can fit them into your schedule.  

I love all of these shows.  In particular, the Night Fountains Show & Fireworks is one of my favorite Versailles experiences - although because it ends quite late, my "pro tip" for you is to stay at a nearby hotel to avoid the worry of missing the last train back to Paris (plus most Versailles hotels offer lower rates than Paris hotels).

• Musical Fountains & Musical Gardens Shows - You'll know spring has arrived in Paris when the 55 fountains and pools and the 600 water features of the Chateau de Versailles come alive in the Musical Gardens (Tuesdays through Fridays) and Musical Fountains Shows (weekends) in the Gardens at Palace of Versailles -  Get Your Tickets
  Dates: Late March - late October, 9am - 7pm (or when the groves close)
• Night Fountains Show & Fireworks (takes place on most Saturday evenings plus a few other evenings from early June until almost the end of September, from 8:30pm - 11:05pm; my personal very favorite thing to experience at Versailles) - Get Your Tickets

These two highly-rated guided tours of Versailles include transportation from Paris plus entrance to Musical Gardens or Musical Fountains (on days when they take place):

• From Paris: Versailles Sunset Bike Tour with Musical Fountains & Fireworks Show
• From Paris:  Skip-the-Line Versailles Palace Tour by Train, Plus Musical Fountains/Gardens Show (on days when offered)

Prefer to travel to Versailles and explore on your own?  Get a Versailles Palace & Gardens Full Access Ticket that includes the shows on days when they are available.

Find out about the top things to see at Versailles Palace, including photos of these shows 

In addition to the garden shows, Versailles also features special exhibitions (usually in one or both of the smaller palaces). 

Most people skip them because there's so much else to see and do, but if you have time, check them out because they are usually excellent and you're likely to see things you might not encounter elsewhere.

Find out about best ways to tour Versailles Palace from Paris

More Ways to See Versailles

Hotel de la Marine 

No temporary exhibitions at the moment, but you can see selections from the Al Thani Collection of masterpieces from Antiquity to the present day, the ornate "Intendants' Apartments" from the Age of Enlightenment, and the state rooms and loggias in this historic mansion. 

Book your tickets
Location: 2 Place de la Concorde, Paris 8;  Metro: Concorde

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Exhibitions at Paris Fashion & Decorative Arts Museums 2025

Alaïa Azzedine Gallery

• Azzedine Alaîa, Thierry Mugler: Two Decades of Artistic Affinities, at the Azzedine Alaïa Gallery (18 Rue de la Verrerie, 4th arr) in the Marais, where you'll see 40 creations reflecting the designers' friendship and collaborations.
  Dates: Through June 29, 2025. 

Admission: 10€; open Tuesday - Sunday
Location:  18 Rue de la Verrerie, 4th arr; Metro:  Hotel de Ville
Tickets:  Get them at the door - there's seldom much of a line as this gallery is a true Paris hidden gem

Palais Galliera Exhibitions

• Fashion on the Move - This exhibition focuses on how fashion adapts to body movement for winter sports.
  Dates:  Through October 12, 2025

Admission: 17€ (14€ without the exhibition - but honestly, I've never seen a special exhibition here that wasn't well worth a few extra euros)
Location: 10 Avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, Paris 16;  Metro: Iéna
Tickets:   Website

Decorative Arts Museum (Musée des Arts Decoratifs) Exhibitions 

• Ruhlman Decorator - A tribute to this renowned decorator, featuring drawings, wallpapers, and photographs.
  Dates:  Through June 1, 2025
• Rococo & Co: From Nicolas Pineau to Cindy Sherman - An examination of the 18th Rococo style, its evolution, and its reappearance in contemporary design and fashion, including Art Nouveau and psychedelic art.
  Dates:  Through May 18, 2025
• My Teddy Bear - A fun exploration of how a ferocious animal became a ubiquitous favorite childhood toy. 
  Dates:  Through June 29, 2025
• Paul Poiret: Fashion is a Party - An immersion into the world of the couturier, decorator, and perfume master known for introducing the flowing silhouettes that freed women from corsets. 
  Dates:  June 25 - November 1

Tickets:  15€ adults - be sure to book a special exhibition ticket, which includes permanent collections plus exhibitions (always worth seeing here); buy online (highly recommended for weekend visits) or at the door (usually, but not always, short lines during the week) - please note that the Paris Museum Pass includes permanent exhibits only
Location: 107 Rue de Rivoli, Paris 1;  Metro: Tuileries or Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre
Closed: Mondays as well as December 25, January 1, May 1

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Paris Science & Technology Museum Exhibitions

Musée de l'Homme (Anthropology Museum)

• Migrations:  Human Odyssey - An exploration of how migration has shaped our past, who we are today, and our future.
  Dates:  Through June 8, 2025
• Wax: Between Heritage & Cultural Appropriation - This fascinating exhibition explores the cultural, political, religious, social, and geographic/communal meanings and issues of West African and Indonesian wax print fabrics from the perspectives of artists, fashion designers, and art historians.
  Dates:  Through September 7, 2025; closed on Tuesdays, January 1, May 1, July 14, and December 25, as well as July 20-August 13 (2025 only)

Tickets: 15€ adults; includes permanent collections & temporary exhibitions.  Book online, or get free entry with a Paris Museum Pass
Location: 17 Place de Trocadero, 16th arrondissement;  Metro/RER: Pont d'Alma

Jardin des Plantes 2025 - 2026

Four enormous greenhouses and extensive (and well-labeled) botanical gardens are packed with living collections of the plant world; periodic special exhibitions give additional reasons to visit.

The outdoor gardens feature spectacular displays of blossoms and foliage through most of the year.

• A Thousand and One Orchids 2026 - This popular annual event displays numerous orchids of all types in the Jardin des Plantes' spectacular greenhouses.
  Dates:  Usually early February through mid-March - will be confirmed in early 2026
  Tickets:  Included in regular greenhouse entrance fee, but due to the great popularity of this show, you should get your tickets online in advance - tickets often sell out days and even weeks in advance

Botanical Garden

The garden's many sections are planted to display an ever-changing array of flowers, foliage, and colors each season.

Greenhouses

Available to visit throughout the year.

Tickets to Greenhouses:  9€ adults; buy online or at the greenhouse entrance
Admission to the Botanical Gardens: Free
Location: Greenhouses, Jardin des Plantes, Paris 5;  Metro:  Jussieu, Place Monge, Austerlitz, or Quai de la Rapée (walk across the Pont d'Austerlitz bridge to the garden)

Grand Gallery of Evolution (Grande Galerie de l'Évolution)

Paris's super-popular natural history museum in Jardin des Plantes is packed with fascinating displays - a huge favorite of kids and teens as well as adults.

• Deserts - In this exhibition, you'll discover Earth' diverse desert environments from the North and South poles to the hottest spots near the equator and the amazing diversity of the life they sustain.
  Dates: Through November 30

Tickets:  16€ (includes admission to the rest of the Gallery) - book online
Location: 36 Rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, Paris 5;  Metro: Jussieu, Saint-Marcel, or Quai de La Rapée

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Paris Military Museums & Shows

Army Museum (Musée de la Armée) at Les Invalides Exhibitions

• Aura - This immersive show takes place during evening hours and brings to life the architecture and history of the Invalides Dome with spectacular lighting effects, video projections and imagery, and music designed to showcase the site's beauty and heritage.  
  Book online
  Dates: Through September, 2033 (yes, that's really 2033 - not a typo!)
  Location:  Invalides Dome, 2 Place Vauban, Paris 7;  Metro: Tour Maubourg, Varennes, Invalides, Varenne

Invalides tickets (without show; free for 17 and under) includes permanent collections plus most exhibitions; book a priority entrance ticket online online or enter free with a Paris Museum Pass

Find our complete guide to Paris museums & monuments

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