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.  

Tickets to Popular Paris Museums


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 and enjoyment.  

Although Paris 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 Rosa Bonheur retrospective... a blockbuster exhibition of paintings, sculpture, photography, design, cinema, and literature during Germany's Weimar Republic... the evolution of sneakers to a digital art show featuring Cezanne.

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

Please note:  We show admission fees in Euros in this article, but if you book through a link on this page, you may see the fee in your own currency. 

A few venues such as the Louvre add a small booking fee (usually 1€) if you get tickets online), and at least one other (Atelier des Lumieres) adds a couple of euros if you do NOT book online and instead buy your ticket at the door. 

Also, just as a reminder: although we do our best to keep prices and other information updated, they may change without our knowledge.


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.

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

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

Paris Discovery Guide is a reader-supported publication.  When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost for you.  Learn more


Paris Art Museum Exhibitions - 2024 - 2025

Louvre Museum Exhibitions

  • 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.
    Dates:  through September 28, 2025
  • Olympism: Modern Invention, Ancient Legacy - Discover how the first modern Olympic Games came into being, in what political context, and how the organisers set out to reinvent the sporting competitions of ancient Greece.  You can also see the first Olympic Cup, which was designed and created in France.
    Dates: Through Sept 16
  • Figures of The Fool - View over 300 art works, mostly Medieval, in this examination of the concept of The Fool during the Middle Ages.
    Dates: October 16, 2024 - Feb 3, 2025
  • Guillaume Guillon-Lethiere - A major exhibition of the paintings and drawings depicting the political upheavals between the Revolution to the July Monarchy by this 19th century African/Guadeloupean-French artist and collector, little-known today but renowned during his lifetime.
    Dates: November 13, 2024 - Feb 17, 2025

Tickets:  22€ adults plus the Louvre's usual 3€ online booking fee; includes special exhibits and permanent collections; 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 - 2024

  • Harriet Backer (1845-1932): The Music of Color - An exhibition of the work of this Norwegian artist and her luminous use of color   
    Dates:  September 24 - to January 12th, 2025
  • Caillebotte: Painting Men - An in-depth look at Caillebotte's focus in his art on masculine forms and portraits of men in response to the realist movement and in ways that challenged the established norms of his era.
    Dates:  Oct 8, 2024 - January 19, 2025

Musée d'Orsay Tickets:  16€ adults.  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


How to Save with Paris Museum Passes

Want to save money on museum tickets?  Get free admission and skip-the-line access to 60+ museums in and near Paris when you have a Paris Museum Pass for 2, 4, or 6 days.  Find out more


Atelier des Lumières Exhibitions 2024

Cezanne show at Atelier des Lumières
The recent Chagall show at Atelier des Lumières
  • Egyptian Pharaohs - Discover ancient Egypt at the time of the Pharaohs in this virtual journey along the Nile River in Upper and Lower Egypt as you see legendary rulers, great battles, famous temples and tombs, and magestic landscapes
  • The Orientalists - Be dazzled by paintings of Oriental cities, souks, palaces, and landscapes by Ingres, Delacroix, Gerome, and other major European expressionists based on their travels to the East
  • Foreign Nature - A contemporary creation of color, sound, imagery, and movement

Dates:  Through January 5, 2025

Also, a summer-only return of two hits from the past on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from July 8 - Sept 1

  • Van Gogh: Starry Night - A panoramic immersion into the work of Van Gogh accompanied by evocative music from a variety of eras
  • Dreamed Japan: Images of the Floating World - See the Japan of geishas, samurai warriors, and spirits come alive from the Japanese woodblock prints that became the rage in Europe during the late 1800s

Tickets:  17€ adults for timed entry, with reduced rates for families, youth, seniors; 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
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 in February.

Centre Pompidou Exhibitions 2024

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.  A gradual closure will begin as early as Fall 2024.

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 year.  Here are current major exhibitions:

  • Surrealism - A chronological and thematic exhibition about this important creative movement that began 100 years ago with André Breton's Manifesto; features works by major figures such as Max Ernst.
    Dates:  Sept 4
    , 2024 - January 13, 2025; Level 6
  • China: A New Generation of Artists - See the recent works of 21 contemporary artists born between 1970-1990, spanning video, painting, sculpture, installations photography, and new medias.
    Dates:  October 9
    , 2024 - February 3, 2025; Level 1
  • Vera Molnar: Parler à l'Oeil - Paintings, drawings, photographs, and murals pay tribute to the creativity of this pioneer in numeric art.
    Dates: Through Sept 2, 2024; Level 4
  • Hervé Di Rosa: Le Passe-Mondes - This show of about 30 paintings featuring unique characters by Herve Di Rosa, pioneer of "Modest Art," display his influences from graffiti, comics, and Dadaism with echos of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Kenny Scharf.
    Dates: Through Sept 2, 2024; Level 4
  • Paris Noir - Details coming soon.
    Dates: March 12 - June 30, 2025; Level 6

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.  Or enhance your visit with a private tour by an expert guide.
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

  • The Marvelous Treasure of Oignies: 13th Century Sparks of Brilliance - Breathtaking gold and silver treasures from the Middle Ages, on display outside of Belgium for the first time. 
    Dates:  Through October 20, 2024

Tickets:  12€.  Get your Musée de l'Orangerie at the door (there's usually a line but it usually moves 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

Musée de l'Orangerie Exhibitions

  • Heinz Berggruen: A Dealer & His Collection - See works by Picasso, Klee, Matisse, Giacometti, and others.
    Dates:  October 16, 2024 to January 26, 2025

Tickets:  12.50€.  Get your Musée de l'Orangerie 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

More Ways to See Musée de l'Orangerie

Musée du Quai Branly 

  • The Taino and Kalinago of the Caribbean - See the art of these indigenous societies that inhabited the Greater Antilles before the arrival of Columbus but were eradicated less than 200 years later
    Dates:  Through Oct 13, 2024
  • Myriam Mihindou - An immersive musical installation celebrating Gabon's and the Republic of Congo's Punu culture by this contemporary Franco-Gabonese artist
    Dates:  Through Nov 10
  • Zombis - Death is not the end?
    Dates: October 8 - Feb 16, 2025

Tickets: 12€ adults; includes permanent collections & temporary exhibitions in the Garden Gallery; some special shows may require a separate ticket.  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

  • Speedy Graphito - This urban artist presents an immersive optical play experience by decoding an image of space in all of its forms, from 8-bit pixels to video games to animated holographs
    Dates:  September 20 - December 22

Admission: Free
Where:  Seine River Bank, by the Port des Invalides bridge, Paris 7; open Wednesday-Sunday from 12pm - 1am; Metro:  Invalides

Espace Lafayette Drouot Exhibition

  • The World of Banksy: The Immersive Experience - Immerse yourself in reproductions of over 100 works by the famous but mysterious street artist Banksy.  Optional: Visit a recreation in Paris of The Walled Off Hotel.
    Dates:  Ongoing

Tickets: 14€ for adults - Book online
Where:  44 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre, Paris 9; closed on Mondays; Metro:  Le Peletier

Fondation Cartier for Contemporary Art

Matthew Barney:  Secondary

Secondary, the latest video installation by American Matthew Barney, explores violence within the context of sports entertainment as 11 performers (including Barney) with older bodies reenacting the memory of a 1978 pro football game when a serious injury occurred. 
Dates: 
June 8 - Sept 8

Tickets (for shows):  11€ adults (12€ online - worth getting as some shows are quite popular and have long ticket lines onsite)
Location: 261 Boulevard Raspail, Paris 14;  Metro:  Raspail
Closed: Mondays

Fondation Louis Vuitton (Louis Vuitton Foundation) - 2024

Fondation Louis Vuitton, where the stunning architicture is part of the art
Part of the Ellsworth Kelly show at Fondation Louis Vuitton

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.

  • Pop Forever, Tom Wesselmann & ... - An exhibition on Pop Art, with a major focus on 150 works by Tom Wesselmann, plus 70 works by 35 other Pop artists such as Marcel Duchamp, Andy Warhol, and Jeff Koons spanning Dadaism to the present day - Dates:  Oct 16 - Feb 24, 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

Baghdad: A Journey Back to Mandinat al-Salam, with Assasin's Creed Mirage- Exquisite objects from the Abbasid period (750-12580 are showcased amid visual content from the popular video game showing the splendor of this lost city in its golden age.
Dates: 
Through  November 10, 2024

Tickets:  Range from about 8€-19€ adults, depending on the exhibition or event (the Institute hosts numerous concerts and other events); includes permanent collections plus 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.

How to Save with Paris Museum Passes

Want to save money on museum tickets?  Get free admission and skip-the-line access to 60+ museums in and near Paris when you have a Paris Museum Pass for 2, 4, or 6 days.  Find out more


Guimet Museum (National Museum of Asian Art) Exhibitions

  • At the Heart of Color - Masterpieces of Chinese monochrome (celadon, white, turquoise, blue, and more) porcelain from the 8th through the 18th century - Dates:  Through Sept 16
  • Guardians of Time - Monumental, spectacular installations by contemporary Shanghai artist Jiang Qiong Er - Dates:  Through Feb 2025

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 

  • Decoding Korea - An exploration of modern Korea through artistic, cultural, and historical lenses embodied in the work of 10 Korean media artists.
    Dates: 
    July 26 - Aug 25

Tickets: Free; register here for admission tickets
Where:  110 rue de Lyon  (Opera Bastille complex; entrance is on the side of the building), Paris 12; Metro: Place de la Bastille

Luxembourg Museum Exhibitions 

  • Match - Explores the interaction of Design and Sport, especially in the context of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
    Dates: 
    Through August 11

Tickets: 15.50€ for adults; get tickets here
Where:  19 Rue de Vaugirard (next to Luxembourg Garden), Paris 6; closed on Mondays; Metro:  Saint-Sulpice or Odeon

Maison Européenne de la Photographie

The MEP presents three exhibitions seasons each year, normally showing the work of a major French or international artist on the first two floors and the work of at least two emerging artists in other spaces.

  • Exteriors - Annie Ernaux and Photography
    Dates: 
    Through May 26
  • Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn - Fashion Icon
    Dates: 
    Through May 26
  • Iris Millot - The Sun Comes Out at the Fork in the Road
    Dates:  Through July 4

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

Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris Exhibitions

  • Arab Presences - Modern Art & Decolonisation: Paris 1908-1988
    Dates: 
    Through August 25
  • Jean Helion - The Prose of the World
    Dates: 
    Through August 18
  • Carte Blanche for Ari Marcopoulos - Beware
    Dates: 
    Through August 25

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

Large-scale paintings by Cherie Samba at Musee Maillol
Large-scale paintings by Cherie Samba (previous exhibit) at Musee Maillol
  • Andres Serrano: Portraits of America - Photography exhibition by Serrano of the cultural tensions behind the electoral battle in the coming U.S. election.
    Dates: 
    Through October 20

Tickets:  17.50€ adults; includes permanent collections plus exhibition; museum website
Location: 59 Rue de Grenelle, Paris 7;  Metro: Rue du Bac

Musée Picasso Exhibitions

  • Chirico, Ernst, Leger, & Picabia in the Apartment of Leonce Rosenberg:  A pictoral ensemble by major artists from between World War I and II
    Dates: 
    Through May 19

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 Musee Rodin Garden in May
Roses in bloom in Musee Rodin Garden in May
  • No current special 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

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 

  • Dislocations - A group exhibition by 15 artists from different generations and backgrounds whose work is informed by the experience of exile, of being torn between here and there, past and present.
    Dates:  Through June 30
  • Approaching Unreason - A group multimedia exhibition exploring different ways of transforming places of isolation into places of protection to offer refuges from the violence of society.
    Dates:  Through June 30
  • Signal: Mohamed Bourouissa - Works that create collective stories based on roots of bitterness.
    Dates:  Through June 30

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

Petit Palais

  • Modern Paris: 1905-1925 - See Paris from the Belle Epoque through the Roaring '20s in this exploration of fashion, filmmaking, architecture, and design as the city tranformed into the modern era with World War I as the backdrop.  The exhibition includes about 400 works by leading artists of that period, as well as clothing, jewelry, and even a plane and car.
    Dates: 
    Through April 14
    Tickets:  15€; free for under 18 year olds
  • Theodore Rousseau: The Voice of the Forest - Major exhibition of Rousseau's work, especially of the forests of Fontainebleau, and his influence on the Barbizon artists who transformed French landscape painting and led the way for the Impressionists.
    Dates: 
    Through July 7
    Tickets:  12€; free for under 18 year olds

Admission:  Free for permanent collection (which is wonderful) but tickets (cost varies) usually required for special exhibits; buy at the door (line usually moves reasonably quickly), or online to reserve a time slot
Location:  Avenue Winston Churchill, Paris 8;  Metro:  Champs-Elysées Clemenceau

Pinault Collection

  • Le Monde Comme Il Va - Iconic works from the Pinault Collection
    Dates:  Through September 2
  • Kimsooja - Carte Blanche
    Dates: 
    Through September 2
  • Arte Povera - Major works by 13 artists tracing the history of this movement from Italy to around the world
    Dates: 
    October 9, 2024 - March 25, 2025

Location: Bourse de Commerce, 2 Rue de Viarmes, Paris 1;  Metro: Rue de Rivoli or Les Halles
Tickets:  14€; includes all exhibitions; buy at the ticket office across the plaza from the front entrance (it's easy to spot), or reserve online

Check out our complete guide to Paris museums & monuments

Paris History & Historical House (& Palace) Museum Exhibitions & Shows - 2024

Chateau de Versailles Exhibitions & Shows

Fountain at the Palace of Versailles
Fountain at the Palace of Versailles
  • 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 and Musical Fountains Shows in the Gardens at Palace of Versailles -  Get Your Tickets
    Dates: March 29 - October 31, 9am - 7pm (or when the groves close); Night Fountains Shows take place on Saturday evenings from June 8 - Sept 21, from 8:30pm - 11:05pm - Get Your Tickets

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

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 

Versailles' special exhibitions are not well-known - in fact, most people skip them because there's so much else to see there.  

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 

  • Al Thani Collection: A Taste for the Renaissance - Renaissance masterpieces from the Al Thani Collection and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. 
    Dates:  Through June 30

How to Visit Hotel de la Marine

This exquisitely restored 18th century mansion overlooking Place de la Concorde offers two ticketed tour experiences:  1) a 45-minute tour of the breathtaking reception rooms, which some visitors consider even more beautiful than those at Versailles Palace, and 2) the basic tour plus an additional 45-minute tour of additional rooms and an exhibition of art from the Al Thani collection of art from numerous cultures spanning 6,000+ years. 

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


Exhibitions at Paris Fashion & Decorative Arts Museums 2024 - 2025

Alaïa Azzedine Gallery

Alaia/Kuramata show at Fondation Azzedine Alaïa in the Marais
Alaia/Kuramata show at Fondation Azzedine Alaïa in the Marais
  • Lightness in Creation, at the Azzedine Alaïa Gallery (18 Rue de la Verrerie, 4th arr) in the Marais, where you'll see 20 of the fashion designer's luxurious gowns juxtaposed with 20 pieces of Japanese designer Shiro Kuramata's modern furniture.  If you love fashion, don't miss this stunningk, beautifully curated exhibition.
    Dates: Through February 16, 2025. 

Admission: 10€
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

Haute couture on display at Palais Galliera in Paris
Haute couture on display at Palais Galliera in Paris
  • Stephen Jones, Chapeaux d'Artiste - This exhibition of British hat designer Stephen Jones' hats during the past four decades is Palais Galliera's first ever show devoted to the art of an accessory. The carefully selected playlist adds to the ambiance.
    Dates:  Through March 16, 2025

Admission: 15€ (12€ without the exhibition - but honestly, we'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 

  • Cristofle, A Brilliant Story - A close look at almost 200 years of gorgeous gold and silver pieces created by the talented goldsmiths at Maison Christofle, plus drawings paintings, and posters from their extensive collection.
    Dates:  Through April 20, 2025

Tickets:  15€ adults - be sure to book a special exhibition ticket, which includes permanent collections plus exhibitions; buy online (highly recommended for weekend visits) or at the door (usually 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



Drouot Auction House (Hôtel Drouot)

Paintings by Renoir and Dufy on display before being auctioned at Hotel Drouot in Paris
Paintings by Renoir and Dufy on pre-auction display at Hotel Drouot in Paris

To be clear, Drouot is not a museum - it's Paris's premier auction house which hosts 70 auction firms that exhibit and sell art, furniture, decorative objects, and collectables in about 1,200 auctions each year.  But that said, you can see some amazing art here.

Whether you want to see museum-quality art which you can bring home with you (if you have a huge bank account), surprisingly affordable treasures, and everything in between, this is the place to come.

Both regular exhibition spaces and auctions are open to the public.  After a quick bag check, you just walk in, along with about 5,000 other daily visitors.  Displays of items to be auctioned - usually the next day - change daily.

You never know what you're going to see here.  But if you feel thrilled by the possibility of discovering, for example, a breath-taking painting by Renoir or Dufy that's usually hidden from public view in private collections, this is where to come. 

The BIG caveat:  You can see each art treasure on display here for one day only.  If you don't want to miss anything during your visit to Paris, stay nearby and pop in for a few minutes (or more) every day.  

Open:  Monday through Friday, 11am - 6pm, plus Thursday evenings until 9pm.  Occasionally open on Saturday. 
Admission: Usually free (except for occasional ticketed events/auctions and private events)
Where:  9 Rue Drouot, Paris 9; Metro:  Le Peletier,
Line 7
Recommended nearby hotels: Hotel Millennium Paris Opera - Hotel Chopin - Holiday Inn Paris Opera



Paris Science & Technology Museum Exhibitions

Musée de l'Homme (Anthropology Museum)

  • Préhistomania - Discover the adventure of discovering prehistoric art.
    Dates:  May 20

Tickets: 13€ 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

How to Save with Paris Museum Passes

Want to save money on museum tickets?  Get free admission and skip-the-line access to 60+ museums in and near Paris when you have a Paris Museum Pass for 2, 4, or 6 days.  Find out more


Jardin des Plantes 2024

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.

  • A Thousand and One Orchids 2025 - This popular annual event displays numerous orchids of all types in the Jardin des Plantes' spectacular greenhouses.
    Dates:  February 5 - March 2 (to be confirmed)
    Tickets:  Included in regular greenhouse entrance fee, but due to the great popularity of this show, you should get your tickets online in advance

Greenhouses

Available to visit throughout the year.

Tickets to Greenhouses:  7€ adults; buy online or at the greenhouse entrance
Admission to the Botanical Garden: 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

  • No special exhibits right now

Tickets:  13€ (includes admission to the rest of the Gallery)
Location: 36 Rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, Paris 5;  Metro: Jussieu, Saint-Marcel, or Quai de La Rapée


Paris Military Museums Shows

Army Museum (Musée de la Armée) at Les Invalides Exhibitions 2024

Les Invalides at Musée de la Armée
Les Invalides at Musée de la Armée
  • 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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