Every year, the Heritage Days offer a chance to swing open the doors of many museums and monuments in Paris and the Île-de-France region, inviting visitors to explore the remarkable collections these cultural venues house, which form the country’s treasure. This year, the Heritage Days mark their 43rd edition on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026.
Heritage Days: the history, dates and the 2026 theme of this unmissable cultural event
The European Heritage Days return on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026, with two new themes. While the cultural event this year marks its 43rd edition, few people actually know the origin of this flagship autumn staple. So we tell you the story behind the Heritage Days, created in 1984 by the Ministry of Culture. [Read more]
For Paris’ 2026 Journées du Patrimoine, the capital’s monuments and historic sites throw open their doors—often free of charge—to reveal their secrets. Don’t miss this must-attend weekend, scheduled for September 19–20, 2026, as you discover the program built around the themes “Heritage in Peril” and “Heritage of Photography.” [Read more]
In 2026, the Arab World Institute will take part in the Heritage Days on September 19 and 20. Opened in 1987 in the 5th arrondissement, this stunning museum has become a must-visit in the capital to better understand the Arabic language and culture through concerts, humor festivals, lectures, temporary exhibitions that are both educational and timely, as well as permanent collections. This multidisciplinary venue highlights artists from the Arab world and builds a cultural bridge between Europe, France, and the Arab world.
TheInstitut du Monde Arabe (Arab World Institute ), a favorite of Parisians and curious visitors of all kinds, is once again offering a rich program of free events for the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days). Find out what's on during this cultural weekend in Paris.
Boutique bookstore
Bookshop & Store
At the heart of the Institut du monde arabe, the bookshop invites you to explore Arab and Mediterranean cultures through a curated collection of more than 9,000 titles in French, Arabic, and English. From literature and history to youth books, art books, stationery, and gifts, you’ll find a rich, diverse range to extend your visit and feed your curiosity.
Open daily except Monday, from 10:00 to 19:00; Saturdays 10:00 to 19:30.
FIND US AT THE GRAND LIBRARY CLEARANCE SALE!
On the occasion of the European Heritage Days, the IMA bookstore opens its doors for a major, exceptional sale. Explore discounted products and uncover books, stationery, and unique creations drawn from our collections and the IMA’s exhibitions.
A invitation to wander through the bookstore, discover wonderful finds, and leave with a keepsake from the IMA—selected especially for this event!
Participation terms: No reservations required
Hours: Saturday, 19 September 2026, 10:00–19:00 ⤏ Sunday, 20 September 2026, 10:00–19:00
Palestine Through the Lens of Joss Dray
On display at the IMA Library, a precious testament to everyday Palestinian life—its people, its places and its memory—captured in a photo report conceived twenty-five years ago and never before shown to the public.
Participation requirements: Free
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 to 19:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 to 19:00
Using art to heal — at Blida-Joinville Psychiatric Hospital in the 1960s
In 2021, the Museum of the Arab World Institute received a generous donation: a collection of archives, painted ceramics, and numerous gouache drawings created in the late 1960s during social-therapy workshops held at Blida-Joinville Psychiatric Hospital (HPB), an Algerian institution closely associated with the iconic figure of Frantz Fanon.
Participation conditions: Registrations will open at a later date – Free
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 to 19:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 to 19:00
IMA Design Prize 2026 Exhibition
Discover the pinnacle of Arab world design—a showcase of works by the finalists for the 2026 Design Prize at the Institute of the Arab World.
Meet the 2026 Design Prize finalists
With a prestigious jury, the prize aims to highlight both emerging and established designers from the region, showcasing craftsmanship, inventive productivity, and the creation of new materials. It offers a contemporary take on the Arab world’s exceptional art of living through the lens of design.
Participation requirements: Free | Booking essential - https://billetterie.imarabe.org/selection/timeslotpass?productId=10229956914943
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 - 10:00 ⤏ 19:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 - 10:00 ⤏ 19:00
Libya, Heritage Revealed
Through a curated selection of photographs and videos, this exhibition highlights the long-running scientific work carried out by the French archaeological mission in Libya (MAFL) in close collaboration with Libyan authorities, and showcases the diversity of sites studied, the periods explored, and the preservation and restoration challenges involved.
Participation requirements: Free
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
AlUla Exhibition: Designing a Living Landscape
What does it mean to build in a desert without changing its natural character? How can we create comfort and novelty without threatening fragile ecosystems? How do we welcome visitors while honoring local rhythms, knowledge, and resources?
To search for answers, the Royal Commission for AlUla and AFALULA launched an art-and-design residency five years ago. Since 2021, five artists and designers are invited each year to take part in a three-month research and experimentation residency in AlUla, followed by a production phase during which they develop projects grounded in local know-how, materials, landscapes, and the area’s history.
AlUla is undergoing rapid change, and the way the oasis evolves matters. Design is one of the most tangible ways this transformation takes shape—whether in public spaces, product design, or craft. In this context, the residencies bridge inquiry and production.
This spotlight on AlUla, tied to the Arab Design Prize, traces the entire creative process—from early sketches and maquettes to prototypes, and, in some cases, to the commercial production of the object.
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.
Visit to the Arab World Institute
Spanning three floors and 2,400 square meters, the Arab World Institute’s museum invites visitors to a dialogue between works and objects drawn from fields rarely brought together: ancient and medieval archaeology, art and craft, ethnography and modern and contemporary creation.
Three successive levels chart the route: each a distinct universe, fully expressing the richness of the Arab world in terms of ethnicities, languages, faiths, and cultural traditions.
BOOK YOUR TICKET TO THE IMA MUSEUM
Participation terms: Free of charge
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 to 19:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 to 19:00
Museum, Workshops, and Conferences
Graphic Workshop | In the Memory of a Refugee
For ages 11 and up - 2:30 p.m. - Meet on the ground floor, in front of the group cloakroom
Like the album In the Memory of a Refugee, which tells the story of a Palestinian refugee in Jordan determined to safeguard the memory of the village his family was forced to leave in 1948, navigate between documents and imagination to create your own panel. Workshop led by Samir Salameh, co-author of the album.
More information about the workshop - Reserve your spot
Participation requirements: Free
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Graphic Novel Workshop | A Refugee's Memory
Graphic Novel Workshop | Memory of a Refugee
For ages 11 and up - 2:30 PM - Meet on the ground floor, in front of the group changing rooms
In the spirit of the album Memory of a Refugee, which follows a Palestinian refugee in Jordan determined to preserve the memory of the village his family was forced to leave in 1948, navigate between documents and imagination to create your own comic panel. Workshop led by Samir Salameh, co-author of the album.
**More information about the workshop - Reserve your spot**
Participation requirements: Free | Booking required - https://billetterie.imarabe.org/selection/timeslotpass?productId=10229956922209
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Meeting and debate | Refugee memories: Palestinians in refugee camps through photography and graphic novels
Discussion and Q&A | Refugee Memoirs: Palestinians in the refugee camps told through photography and comics
4:30 PM – Leïla Shahid Library (Floor 1)
With Joss Dray, Amal Khaleefa and Samir Salameh
More information about the event
Participation requirements: Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
An exciting multicultural weekend with friends and family!
Dates and Opening Time
From September 19, 2026 to September 20, 2026
Location
Arab World Institute
1 Rue des Fossés Saint-Bernard
75005 Paris 5
Route planner
Accessibility info
Access
Metro Jussieu line 7, line 10
Prices
Free
Recommended age
For all
Official website
www.imarabe.org
Heritage Days: the history, dates and the 2026 theme of this unmissable cultural event
Heritage Days 2026 in Paris (75): the schedule of visits and activities by arrondissement
