For the 42nd edition of Heritage Days, we head to the National Institute of Art History which offers guided tours and other animations all weekend long, on September 19–20, 2026. Restored in the 19th century by architect Henri Labrouste, the former imperial library invites you to explore its two spaces: the Labrouste Room and the Colbert Gallery. A superb visit for anyone who loves libraries and historic monuments!
A true architectural masterpiece, the building has been listed as a historical monument since 1983, and reopened in 2016 after several years of restoration... Access to the building, usually reserved for art history students and researchers with a reader's card, is now open to the public on the occasion of these open days. By opening its doors, the INHA is offering the public the chance to discover its research facilities, which are usually closed to visitors, and to understand how the major issues surrounding images are approached across the discipline, and what tools art historians use to carry out their research.
Why not take advantage of this new edition of the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days ) to discover this place that is exceptionally opening its doors to us? Discover the program below!
Archive Briefing — Endangered heritage, hindered research: INHA's collections in the service of research in constrained fields
Armed conflicts, terrorism, and repressive policies threaten cultural heritage around the world. In the Middle East and neighboring regions in particular, monuments, objects, and archaeological sites are damaged or deliberately erased. But research is also at risk: researchers face threats, exile, or exclusion from the field. Without documentation or study, entire chapters of human history could disappear.
The INHA Library and RePaZ, an initiative dedicated to research on material heritage in crisis zones, offer a curated look at documents that questions research practices in restricted field settings and the role of archives in such contexts.
For more on the European Heritage Days 2026 program at the National Institute for Art History, see the program via this link.
Conditions de participation : Free admission, subject to capacity - Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00–20:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00–20:00
Guided tours of the Labrouste Room, the Library of the National Institute of Art History
Over the weekend, visitors can freely explore, or join guided tours, the two sites of the National Institute of Art History: the Colbert Gallery, a former commercial passage, and the Labrouste Room, the INHA library, designed by architect Henri Labrouste and usually closed to the general public. Students in archaeology, art history, and heritage from partner universities, as well as INHA professionals, lead interpretive activities along the route.
To learn more about the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the National Institute of Art History, consult the program via this link.
Participation conditions: Free entry, subject to capacity – Free | No reservations
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Open visits to the Labrouste Room at the National Institute for Art History Library
Over the weekend, visitors can freely explore, or join guided tours, the two sites of the National Institute for Art History: the Colbert Gallery, a former commercial passage, and the Labrouste Room, the INHA library, designed by architect Henri Labrouste and typically closed to the public. Students studying archaeology, art history and heritage from partner universities, along with INHA staff, will host interpretive sessions along the route.
To learn more about the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the National Institute for Art History, check the program via this link.
Participation conditions: Free admission, subject to availability — No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 AM–6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Overview of the INHA's Careers
The INHA Library’s exceptional opening during European Heritage Days gives on-site professionals—librarians and researchers—the chance to share how they use the library day in, day out. They showcase their working materials and the documents they consult, while explaining to the public how the library supports their research and professional practices.
Location: INHA, Doucet space, Labrouste Room – INHA Library
For more information on the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the Institut national d'histoire de l'art, consult the program here this link.
Participation conditions: Free admission, subject to capacity — No reservations required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Open visits to the Colbert Gallery, headquarters of the National Institute of Art History
Over the weekend, visitors can freely explore—or join guided tours of—the two sites of the National Institute for Art History: the Colbert Gallery, a renovated 19th‑century former commercial passage, and the Labrouste Hall, the INHA library, designed by architect Henri Labrouste and typically closed to the public. Students of archaeology, art history, and heritage from partner universities, along with INHA professionals, will lead interpretive sessions throughout the route.
To learn more about the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the National Institute for Art History, consult the program via this link.
Participation conditions : Free admission, subject to availability - No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Charlotte Delbo Library's youth reading corner
In partnership with the EAC mission at the National Institute for Art History, the librarians of the Charlotte Delbo Library (75002) host a children's reading corner each year in the Colbert Gallery.
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, the Guillaume Guillon Lethière studiolo
To learn more about the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the National Institute for Art History, consult the program via this link.
Participation conditions : Free admission, subject to capacity - Free | No reservations
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00–18:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00–18:00
Projection – 20 Years, 20 Images, a Series of Interviews
Images all carry a story, and every story is made of images. Twenty visual objects from the last two decades are analyzed and commented on by twenty art historians in a series of exclusive interviews. From the Windows XP wallpaper to the Notre-Dame blaze, from a New Order album cover to a euro banknote, the piece draws the multiple links we foster with images, art, its history, and its sources. Spanning architecture, fashion, music, cinema, and photography, this video series reveals that art-history research engages with all forms of visual and sensorial expression, and that it offers new ways to read the contemporary world.
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, studiolo Guillaume Guillon Lethière
For more on the European Heritage Days 2026 program at the National Institute for Art History, consult the program via this link.
Participation terms: Free entry, available while seats last — No reservations
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00 to 18:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:00 to 18:00
Guided tours of the Colbert Gallery, headquarters of the National Institute of Art History
Over the weekend, visitors can freely explore, or join guided tours, the two sites of the National Institute of Art History: Colbert Gallery, a 19th‑century commercial passage recently refurbished, and Labrouste Hall, the INHA library designed by architect Henri Labrouste and typically closed to the public. Students of archaeology, art history, and heritage from partner universities, along with INHA staff, lead explanations and activities along the route.
For more information on the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the National Institute of Art History, check the program via this link.
Participation requirements: Free entry, subject to availability - Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 10:00–18:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026, 10:00–18:00
Workshop at the National Institute of Heritage (INP): Restoration of Graphic Arts and the Book
The stand will give visitors a look at the pedagogy behind the teaching offered in the Graphic Arts and Book Studies specialization, through the presentation of several pastiches created by students using ancient techniques. These reconstruction exercises allow exploration of the historical know-how tied to the book arts and drawing. The tools and materials of conservation-restoration will also be showcased. The public will be able to handle samples of Japanese paper, as well as brushes used for dusting and for the consolidation of artworks. A gum erasure demonstration on a teaching object will be offered, accompanied by the presentation of a book currently undergoing restoration.
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, Pierre Demargne Room
To learn more about the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the National Institute of Art History, consult the program via this link.
Participation conditions: Free entry, subject to availability – Free | No reservations required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:00–13:00, 14:00–17:00
Workshop – 3D Scanning for Heritage Restoration
[atelier]
The INP's research lab, represented by its imaging-science engineer, Chloé Bernard, and the Plemo 3D platform from the Centre André-Chastel, led by Grégory Chaumet, are co-hosting a workshop on digitizing heritage objects for restoration. Attendees will explore the restoration process and the virtual handling of a heritage piece through a 3D digital survey using a surface scanner.
Warning: Strobe lighting will be used during this workshop – not recommended for people with epilepsy
45-minute sessions: 11h-11h45 / 12h-12h45 / 14h-14h45 / 15h-15h45 / 16h-16h45
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, Louis Grodecki Room
For more information on the European Heritage Days 2026 program at the National Institute of Art History, see the program via this link.
Participation requirements: [complet] Registration required, four spots per session – Free | Reservation required – inscription@inha.fr
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 11:00 to 16:45
Workshop on safeguarding archaeological heritage and Levant relics, in collaboration with the Routes de l’Orient association
Archaeological heritage remains vulnerable throughout its lifecycle—from discovery to recording, and especially during study. Reflecting on the various ways to handle it is essential to better grasp the challenges of safeguarding and transmitting it. The Levant, a region scarred by armed conflict, hosts an exceptionally rich archaeological legacy that is frequently under threat.
On the occasion of European Heritage Days, the Routes de l’Orient association invites you to discover South-West Asian archaeology through an activity accessible to all audiences.
On the agenda: an activity for children and an archaeology introduction for adults, which help participants better understand the importance, diversity, and rarity of Levantine heritage.
45-minute sessions
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, Walter Benjamin Room
To learn more about the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the National Institute for Art History, consult the program via this link.
Participation rules: From 6 years old, free admission while seats are available - Free | No reservations required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Overview of the CallFront research project (Arabic-script calligraphy in the borderlands of the Islamic world)
In connection with the theme “Heritage at risk,” the Colbert Gallery hosts a presentation of the research project CallFront, focused on calligraphy in Arabic script in the border regions of the Islamic world. A screening of interview excerpts and films offers a look at the evolution, the transmission of know‑how, and the symbolic and spiritual dimensions of these scripts. The public can also attend a demonstration of the digital database dedicated to the project.
The presentations of the database by the CallFront team are offered at 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM. Each lasts about thirty minutes.
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, Pierre-Jean Mariette Room
For more information on the program of the 2026 European Heritage Days at the National Institute of Art History, consult the program via this link.
Participation terms: Free admission, subject to availability - Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Workshop for young audiences “Let’s Repair Tomorrow” in collaboration with the Charlotte Delbo Library
“Let’s Repair Tomorrow!”, a workshop run in partnership with the Charlotte Delbo Library, introduces children to the fragility of heritage, the many threats it faces, and the ways to address them. In their own free-spirited way, through drawing or collage, they contribute to restoring around ten emblematic works that have been worn down, giving them a second life in a small booklet they will keep.
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, Helmina von Chézy
For more information on the European Heritage Days 2026 program at the Institut national d'histoire de l'art, consult the program via this link.
Participation conditions: Registration required; up to 12 places available, for ages 8 and up - Free | Reservation mandatory - inscription@inha.fr
Times: Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
Visit and workshops at the Gernet-Glotz Library of the Anhima Laboratory
The Gernet-Glotz Library, noted for its focus on the ancient history of the Greek and Roman worlds, opens its doors for the European Heritage Days. Its core collections center on the humanities and social sciences related to the Greco-Roman Mediterranean, spanning from the 1st millennium BCE to the 5th century CE.
Five free, expert-led workshops are on offer to the public from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m., aligned with visiting hours:
– Libraries and archives in Antiquity
Cities like Alexandria or Pergamon were renowned in their own time for the wealth of their libraries and research centers. But how did they operate? Did the word “library” mean the same as today? Who consulted these libraries, and why? And above all, what did books look like in Antiquity? An interactive visit invites the public to explore how the Gernet-Glotz Library functions, home to researchers in ancient history seeking specialized resources—much as its ancient predecessors did.
– Intro to Archaeology
The “Introduction to Archaeology” workshop unfolds as two interactive games: one about the professions of archaeology (a matching pairs game), the other about stratigraphy (via a small model and questions).
– Greek and Roman Myths in Images
The “Greek and Roman Myths in Images” activity asks visitors to use brief myth summaries highlighting their key points, then to match them to corresponding images in a participatory game. It serves as a springboard to discuss the study of myth narratives, their imagery and supports, and how they evolve and stay vibrant across Antiquity’s eras.
– Initiation to Greek and Roman Religious Practices
The “Initiation to Greek and Roman Religious Practices” workshop uses play to reveal how the ritual life of ancient Greek and Roman religions functioned. Depending on the ancient figure you embody, you’ll participate in various rites—consulting the Pythia, Olympic contests, or Saturnalia—while discovering the gods involved and the rules governing each tradition.
– Intro to Ancient Theatre
You likely know that Greek theatre gave birth to Western drama, and you may recall Medea, Phèdre, or Oedipus. But what was actual theatre like in Antiquity? The actors, the costumes, the sets, the jokes that made audiences in Athens laugh? Through a playful quiz, this workshop helps you rediscover the realities of theatre in ancient Greece and the Roman Empire!
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, Gernet-Glotz Library (1st floor)
To learn more about the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the National Institute for Art History, see the program via this link.
Participation conditions: Open access while seats are available - Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Introductory workshop on Arabic calligraphy
[atelier]
This introduction to the art of Arabic-script calligraphy, led by master calligrapher Nuria Garcia Masip, offers a hands-on exploration of the tools and fundamentals of this tradition: reed pens, inks, papers, and the concepts of harmony, rhythm, and proportion that underpin classical writing. Through a practical approach, participants will learn the calligraphic gesture with traditional tools and discover how letters are built and how the compositional principles of this art come together.
Duration: 2h30
Location: INHA, Galerie Colbert, Salle Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc
For more on the European Heritage Days 2026 program at the Institut national d'histoire de l'art, consult the programme via this link.
Participation requirements : [complet] Registration required, maximum 15 participants, 18+ years old - Free
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 2:30 PM–5:00 PM
Family workshop “Build your own archiscope” in collaboration with the Charlotte Delbo Library
The INHA and the Charlotte Delbo Library are offering a family workshop focused on perspective and architecture. After a tour of optical views—beloved in the Enlightenment era for entertaining drawing rooms while contributing to children’s education—the session invites participants to recapture that spirit by composing images inspired by this technique. Using successive photographic views of the Colbert Gallery and the Charlotte Delbo Library, attendees will create their own collage. Each person contributes to building their own “archiscope.”
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, Helmina von Chézy Hall
For more information about the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the National Institute for Art History, consult the program via this link.
Participation terms: Registration required, up to 12 places available, for ages 8 and up - Free | Reservations essential - inscription@inha.fr
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Abo Gabi and Camille El Bacha to perform in a concert organized in collaboration with Pax Musica
As part of the European Heritage Days, the National Institute of Art History invites Pax Musica, an academy of music without borders, for a program echoing the theme "Heritage in Danger". The association supports women and men musicians who have found refuge in France, helping them continue their artistic careers through a mentorship with renowned artists. In the Colbert Gallery’s rotunda, the Syrian-Palestinian-born singer Abo Gabi and the Franco-Lebanese pianist Camille El Bacha imagine a dialogue between mawâl (Arabic improvised music) and Western piano writing. The concert spotlights threatened musical traditions and the exiled journeys of the performers, turning music into a space for dialogue, transmission and resilience.
The Pax Musica musicians perform at the Arab World Institute, at the Palais de la Porte Dorée – National Museum of the History of Immigration, at the Villa Medici in Rome, and at the Paris Opera. Pax Musica thrives on public generosity; more information at paxmusica.fr and @paxmusicaacademie on Instagram.
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, Rotonde
For more on the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the National Institute of History of Art, consult the program via this link.
Participation conditions: Free admission, subject to availability - Free | No reservation
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 5:30 PM to 6:15 PM
Introductory Engraving Workshop
Give linocut printing a try and print your own版print! In this workshop, visitors explore relief printmaking techniques through a selection of prints from the INHA Library’s collections. Tied to the theme “Heritage in Danger” and the display of documents in the Labrouste Room, participants create a print—from carving the matrix to pulling a print.
Materials and tools are provided. You don’t need to be a skilled draftsman: patterns drawn from the collections will be available. You can take home what you create on site (a matrix and a paper print).
Plan at least 2 hours for the full creation of a print, or 30 minutes to print a ready-to-use matrix.
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, Pierre Demargne Room
For more information about the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the National Institute of Art History, see the program via this link.
Participation conditions: Free admission, subject to availability; open to adults and children over 8, who must be accompanied by an adult. - Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Eloquence Contest: “My Master’s in Art History and Archaeology in 180 Seconds”
Designed as one of the program’s highlights, the eloquence contest “My master’s in art history and archaeology in 180 seconds” brings together second-year master’s students. The speakers have three minutes to present their thesis topic to an audience not deeply immersed in the field. Contestants must present their research in a clear, engaging, and stimulating way, making complex topics approachable after months of work. Two €1,000 prizes are awarded by a jury composed of figures from the art history world, with the support of Étienne Bréton – Saint Honoré Art Consulting, and the Foundation for Art and Research. The public prize is awarded in partnership with Le Quotidien de l’Art, and the winner’s presentation is published in Le Quotidien de l’Art.
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, Jacqueline Lichtenstein Auditorium
To learn more about the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the National Institute of Art History, consult the program via this link.
Conditions de participation : Free admission on a first-come, first-served basis - Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Short lectures by PhD candidates in art history and archaeology focusing on endangered heritage
Young researchers from the partner universities of the Colbert Gallery and the Richelieu district present, in a brief and lively format, their work related to the theme “heritage in danger.” Through their thesis topics and research methods, doctoral students explore the challenges surrounding the study, protection, and valorization of threatened cultural and natural heritage.
– 3:00-3:30 PM: Elsa Dos Santos, "After the Artist’s Disappearance: Trajectories of Alicia Moï Orban’s Sculptures (1922–2022)"
– 3:30-4:00 PM: Ambra Famiglietti, "When the Image Saves Heritage: Wilhelm Zahn and the Documentation of Pompeian Murals in the 19th Century"
– 4:00-4:30 PM: Rosanna Gangemi, "Thinking of Water as a Source of Inspiration and a Political Work. The Liquid Emergence of What Makes Heritage"
– 4:30-5:00 PM: Quentin Touraud, "Landscape Painting, Cultural Heritage Against Natural Heritage?"
– 5:00-5:30 PM: Lilas Mohammed Ali, "The Challenges of Restoration Projects for Syrian Archaeological Sites"
Location: INHA, Colbert Gallery, Pierre-Jean Mariette Room
For more information on the 2026 European Heritage Days program at the Institut national d’histoire de l’art, consult the program via this link.
Participation terms: Free admission, subject to availability - Free | No reservation required
Timings: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles.
Dates and Opening Time
From September 19, 2026 to September 20, 2026
Location
National Institute of Art History
58 Rue de Richelieu
75002 Paris 2
Route planner
Access
Metro line 3 "Quatre Septembre" or "Bourse" station
Prices
Free
Official website
www.inha.fr
