Halloween 2026: The Rodin Museum invites you to hell with its special evening

Halloween takes over the capital this Saturday 31 October 2026, to the delight of mystery and thrill seekers. Across Paris, partygoers treat themselves to small and big frights, as the many outings lined up for the occasion unfold. Between costume parties, immersive experiences, and other animations, the Halloween period is a veritable feast of spine-tingling deals, at the heart of terrifying myths and legends.

Museums are jumping in on this seasonal celebration too. How about a night-time quest through a haunted museum for an exceptional nocturnal experience? That’s the idea behind the Rodin Museum in Paris, with its event "Bienvenue en Enfer" slated for Halloween night itself. On October 31, 2026, this museum with undeniable charm transforms to offer an immersive walk among the ghosts of the collection. The starting point of this spine-tingling cultural journey? The Door of Hell, the stunning work by Auguste Rodin that sits in the famed Garden of Sculptures.

It's hard not to feel intimidated when gazing at this vertiginous creation, over six meters high. This powerful work depicts over 200 figures intertwined in a macabre ballet, in the midst of which some familiar figures can be made out, including the Thinker, the Three Shadows and the Kiss. This monumental sculpture is in the spotlight this Halloween evening, so you can discover it as you've never seen it before.

• To be read
• The best things to do in Paris and Île-de-France, October 26 to November 1, 2026

This year, the Rodin Museum is centering its Halloween night around the theme of spiritualism. Visitors are welcome to come dressed up. A word of caution: if it rains, the evening will be held in the museum gardens (unless severe weather intervenes).

What’s on the schedule for this Halloween evening at the Rodin Museum:

• Stage performance in front of the Gates of Hell
  The Gates of Hell holds a special place in Rodin's oeuvre. Working feverishly for years, he brought to life more than two hundred figures. He threw himself into the project with abandon, drawing first on Dante’s Inferno, then, from 1885 onward, on references closer to his own era.
  Lectures and dramatic scenes invite you to discover the literary and symbolist backdrop that fed the imaginations of some of the figures in The Gates of Hell, from Charles Baudelaire to Victor Hugo.
  Meet in front of the Gates of Hell
  
  
• Into the woods: a journey through illusion in the undergrowth
  In Dante’s First Circle of Hell, the poet wanders a dark forest where he confronts the darkest passions of the soul: lust, greed, and pride... Armed with a lantern, dare to penetrate the undergrowth where shadows shift and the reflections of reality tilt. Watch out—the illusions may unsett le your mind.
  Meet at the edge of the undergrowth
  
  
• Circus spectacle in the garden
  At the heart of Hell, souls seem to drift, rise, or sink into the depths. In the center of the basin, Ugolin and his children embody the ultimate fall into the ninth circle, where the guilty of treason are condemned. Open your eyes wide to catch every detail of a daring acrobatic performance inspired by the doomed bodies in perpetual descent and ruin.
  Meet on the green mat
  
  
• Tarot tour in the collections
  Mediumistic practices boomed in the 19th century: table-rapping, spirit communication, and divinatory experiments captivate a broad public. Using a Marseille Tarot spread, chart your personalized museum route. Discover which Rodin work resonates with the major arcana and let the symbols guide your visit.
  Meet at the Hôtel Biron
  
  
• Photographic workshop
  In the 19th century, the birth of photography ran parallel to the rise of spiritualism. This new medium offered a way to reveal the invisible: “ghosts” appeared, fueling both spiritualist beliefs and artists’ imaginations. Led by a photographer-artist, explore techniques that could conjure spirits and figures from the beyond onto film.
  Meet in the exhibition room
  
  
• Photo studio, “The Darkroom”
  After an evening plunged in darkness, step into the light for a flash from our photographers. Strike a pose to preserve a memory of the night.
  Meet in the exhibition room
  
  
• Ephemeral bar, “The Third Circle”
  Access the third circle of Hell and surrender to cocktails and other treats offered for one night only.
  Meet in the corridor opposite The Thinker
  
  
• Museum shop, “The Fourth Circle”
  Before you go, take home a keepsake from your evening with a themed, exclusive selection: sculpture reproductions, books, jewelry, accessories…
  Meet in the Chapel Hall

Heads up: the adventure is recommended for ages 13 and up, and booking is mandatory (tickets go on sale October 5). Secure your tickets now for this night of fright!