Journées du Patrimoine 2026 at the Palais de la Porte Dorée: free tours of the museum and aquarium

Experience the 43rd Heritage Days festival at the Palais de la Porte Dorée on September 19 and 20, 2026, where the cultural venue offers a wealth of tours and activities to enjoy with friends or family. A perfect opportunity to discover the Immigration Museum as well as the Tropical Aquarium.

The Palais de la Porte Dorée opens its doors for free all weekend long! The cultural venue is taking part in the 43rd edition of the Heritage Days, which this year fall on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026. It’s a chance to discover the Palais de la Porte Dorée in every facet. A lineup of activities highlights the many facets of this unique site. Not only will you be able to visit the monument itself, but also the Aquarium and the museum. Everything is ready to offer you a truly exceptional experience.

Parisians, visitors and other curious minds are invited to discover an enriched historical content and personal testimonies that illustrate the history of immigration in France. But the Heritage Days 2026 are also an opportunity to learn more about this magnificent building.

Originally conceived as part of the1931 Colonial Exhibition, it was a symbol-laden "Musée des colonies", decorated in Art Deco style. Renamed in turn "musée des colonies et de la France extérieure", "musée de la France d'outre-mer", "musée des Arts africains et océaniens" or "musée national des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie", the Palais de la Porte Dorée as we know it today was finally inaugurated in 2007.

What’s on the agenda for the Palais de la Porte Dorée during the 2026 Heritage Days:

European Heritage Days 2026
Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026, from 10:00 to 19:00
Marking the 43rd edition of European Heritage Days, with themes “Heritage in Peril” and “Heritage of Photography,” the Palais de la Porte Dorée invites you to view heritage with fresh eyes, considering its fragilities and the challenges of safeguarding it. A historic monument with a singular past, a museum and an aquarium, the Palais itself sits at the crossroads of architectural, cultural, natural, and memory heritage.
Free access to the Museum and Aquarium all weekend, with online or on-site ticketing, subject to availability. Free activities, on-site registration from 10:00 for morning tours, from 12:00 for early afternoon tours, and from 14:30 for the remainder of the day.
At the Palais
- Little Explorers
  Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 10:30
  Family workshop-tour | Children aged 3 to 5, accompanied by a parent(s) | Duration: 1h
  What stories do the Palais’ surroundings tell? Equipped with their explorer binoculars, participants discover the building’s architecture and paintings. The session ends with a creative workshop where everyone can craft a mosaic inspired by the Palais’ motifs.
- Painting on the walls: the secrets of the fresco
  Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 11:00
  Guided tour | Adults | Duration: 1h
  How is a monumental fresco created? Through an exploration of the Forum fresco in the Palais de la Porte Dorée, this activity invites you to delve into the techniques, gestures, and know-how behind painting a mural.
- Behind the scenes of the Palais: a colonial-era museum
  Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 16:00
  Guided tour | Adults | Duration: 1h
  What remains of the 1931 Colonial Museum housed in the Palais today? Traversing spaces usually closed to the public, this tour takes you behind the scenes to uncover traces of that colonial legacy. Between architecture and little-known remnants, discover the history of a space originally conceived to celebrate the French empire, now home to the National Museum of the History of Immigration.
- New feature: fresh wall-fresco guides for the Forum! Exploring the Forum’s frescoes
  Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026
  Open-access setup
  At your own pace, uncover the decorative richness of the Forum at the Palais de la Porte Dorée. These new, user-friendly guides invite you to observe the artworks, decode their motifs, and better understand the history of this iconic site.
At the Museum
- Heart of the Museum: the mediator’s pick
  Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 11:00, 12:00, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00
  Micro-tours | Adults | Duration: 20 min
  What connects a work of art to the people who encounter it every day? This micro-tour presents the “mediator’s favorite”—a work chosen for what it evokes, tells, or provokes. A personal vantage that reveals how artworks speak to those who share them.
- Thematic tour “Slavery and Migrations”
  Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 14:30
  Guided tour | Adults | Duration: 1h
  In honor of the Taubira Law recognizing the slave trade and slavery as crimes against humanity (passed May 10, 2001), the National Museum of the History of Immigration offers a tour exploring links between slavery and immigration in French history, in partnership with the Foundation for the Memory of Slavery. Slavery institutionalized in France from 1685 driven forced migrations whose human, cultural, and memory legacies continue to shape French society today.
- When photographs step out of the archives
  Saturday, September 19, 2026 at 15:30
  Guided tour | Adults | Duration: 1h
  What stories do photographs kept in the Museum’s reserves tell when they are temporarily shown? This rare display is your chance to learn their history and the stakes of preserving them.
- How to care for works of art?
  Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 15:30
  Workshop-tour | Adults | Duration: 1h
  How do you protect a work of art? Led by a collections registrar, discover the principles of preventive conservation. Light, temperature, humidity, and handling—practice the essential care for safeguarding artworks.
At the Aquarium
- Behind the Aquarium scenes
  Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 10:30 and 14:30
  Guided tour | Suitable for ages 8+ | Duration: 1h
  With an aquarist guiding you, learn how the Aquarium operates on a day-to-day basis. You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of how aquatic animals are cared for.
- Scientific experiences at the Aquarium
  Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 14:00, 15:30 and 16:30
  Micro-tour | Suitable for ages 7+ | Duration: 20 min
  Meet our mediators for a brief, enlightening science moment that sheds light on our living collections and their ecosystems during a micro-tour. You’ll gain insight into aquatic habitats, interspecies relationships, and conservation efforts at the Tropical Aquarium.
- Quiz: the amazing powers of fish!
  Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 16:00 and 17:00
  Micro-tour | Suitable for ages 6+ | Duration: 30 min
  This playful quiz invites children to explore the astounding abilities of aquatic animals: camouflage, regeneration, defense, and survival strategies. A fun way to better understand the threats facing these fascinating species.

Family-friendly tours of the Palais de la Porte Dorée
At the Aquarium

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### Behind the Scenes at the Aquarium

GUIDED TOUR

Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20

Joined by an aquarist and drawing on professional expertise, discover the daily workings of the Aquarium. The care of aquatic animals will no longer be a mystery to you!

For ages 8 and up | Schedule: 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM | Duration: 1 hour
Participation terms: Free activities, on-site registration opens at 10:00 for morning tours, at 12:00 for early-afternoon tours, and at 14:30 for the rest of the day. - Free | No reservation required
Hours: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:30–11:30, 14:30–15:30 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:30–11:30, 14:30–15:30
Family-friendly tours of the Palais de la Porte Dorée
At the Palace

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### The Little Explorers

VISIT-WORKSHOP

Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20

What stories do the Palace's decorations tell? Equipped with their explorer's binoculars, participants set off to discover the architecture and paintings that adorn the building. The tour continues with a creative workshop where everyone can craft a mosaic inspired by the Palace's motifs.

Children aged 3 to 5, accompanied by their parent(s) | Time: 10:30 AM | Duration: 1 hour
Participation conditions: Free activities. On-site registration begins at 10:00 for morning tours, at 12:00 for early-afternoon tours, and at 14:30 for the rest of the day. - Free | No reservation
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 10:30 to 11:30 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 10:30 to 11:30
Guided tours of the Palais de la Porte Dorée
At the Museum

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### At the heart of the Museum: the mediator's pick

MICRO-TOURS

Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20

What connects a work of art to the people who encounter it day in, day out? This micro-tour invites you to discover the Palace mediator’s “favorite piece,” chosen for what it evokes, what it tells, or what it sparks. A personal perspective that reveals how artworks speak to the people who share them with visitors.

Adults | Times: 11:00, 12:00, 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. | Duration: 20 minutes
Participation conditions: All activities are free. On-site registration opens at 10:00 for morning tours, 12:00 for early-afternoon tours, and 14:30 for the rest of the day. Free | No advance booking required
Hours: Saturday, 19 September 2026 — 11:00–17:00 | Sunday, 20 September 2026 — 11:00–17:00
Guided tours of the Palais de la Porte Dorée
### At the Palace

### Painting on walls: the secrets of fresco painting

GUIDED TOUR

Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20

How is a monumental fresco created? Through a close look at the fresco in the Forum of the Palais de la Porte Dorée, this activity invites you to explore the techniques, the gestures, and the know-how needed to bring a mural to life.

Adults | Time: 11:00 AM | Duration: 1 hour
Participation conditions: Free activities, on-site registration opens at 10:00 for morning tours, at 12:00 for early-afternoon tours, and at 2:30 p.m. for the rest of the day. - Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 11:00 to 12:00 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 11:00 to 12:00
Family-friendly tours of the Palais de la Porte Dorée
At the Aquarium

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### Scientific experiences at the Aquarium

MICRO-VISIT

Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20

Meet our educators for either a focused lighting session or a hands-on science experience that lets you discover our living collections during a micro-visit. You’ll gain insight into the diversity of aquatic habitats, the relationships between species and their ecosystems, and the conservation of species at the Tropical Aquarium.

Recommended for ages 7 and up | Times: 2:00 PM, 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM | Duration: 20 minutes
Participation conditions: Free activities, on-site sign-up starting at 10:00 for morning tours, from 12:00 for early-afternoon tours, and from 14:30 for the rest of the day. - Free | No reservation required
Timings: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Guided tours of the Palais de la Porte Dorée
At the Museum

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### Guided Tour: “Slavery and Migrations”

GUIDED TOUR

Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026

To mark the Taubira Law, adopted on May 10, 2001, which recognizes the slave trade and slavery as crimes against humanity, the National Museum of the History of Immigration offers a tour exploring the ties between slavery and migration in French history, in collaboration with the Foundation for the Memory of Slavery.

Institutionalized in France from 1685, slavery prompted forced migrations of men, women and children, and the human, cultural and memory legacies of these departures have left their mark on migrations within French society to this day.

Adults | Time: 2:30 PM | Duration: 1 hour
Participation terms: All activities are free, on-site registration opens at 10:00 for morning tours, at 12:00 for early-afternoon tours, and at 14:30 for the rest of the day. - Free | No advance registration
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 14:30–15:30 | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 14:30–15:30
Guided tours of the Palais de la Porte Dorée
At the Museum

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### When photographs step out of the archives

GUIDED TOUR

Saturday, September 19

What do the photographs normally kept in the Museum's archives reveal? Temporarily brought out of storage, this presentation offers a chance to discover their stories and the stakes of preserving them.

Adults | Time: 3:30 PM | Duration: 1h
Participation conditions: Activities are free. On-site registration opens at 10:00 for morning tours, at 12:00 for early-afternoon tours, and at 14:30 for the rest of the day. Free | No advance registration required
Timings: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Family-friendly visits to the Palais de la Porte Dorée
At the Aquarium

----------------

### Quiz: the incredible powers of fish!

MINI TOUR

Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20

This playful quiz invites kids to explore the amazing abilities of aquatic animals: camouflage, regeneration, defense, and survival strategies. A fun, educational experience that also helps visitors understand the threats facing these fascinating species.

For ages 6 and up | Times: 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM | Duration: 30 minutes
Participation rules : Free activities, on-site registration opens at 10:00 for morning tours, at 12:00 for early-afternoon tours, and at 14:30 for the rest of the day. - Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 — 4:00 PM–4:30 PM, 5:00 PM–5:30 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 4:00 PM–4:30 PM, 5:00 PM–5:30 PM
Visits to the Palais de la Porte Dorée
### At the Palace

### Behind the Scenes at the Palace: a Colonial Museum

GUIDED TOUR

Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20

What remains today of the Colonial Museum, opened in 1931 at the Palais de la Porte Dorée? A tour through spaces typically closed to the public will pull you behind the scenes of the Palace to trace the echoes of that colonial past. Blending architecture and little-known remnants, discover the story of a site originally designed to celebrate the French colonial empire, now home to the National Museum of the History of Immigration.

Adults | Time: 4:00 PM | Duration: 1h
Participation terms: Free activities. On-site registration opens at 10:00 for morning tours, at 12:00 for early-afternoon tours, and at 14:30 for the rest of the day. - Free | No reservations required
Schedule: Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM | Sunday, September 20, 2026 – 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Family-friendly tours of the Palais de la Porte Dorée
At the Museum

------------

### How to care for artworks?

VISIT-WORKSHOP

Sunday, September 20

How do we safeguard a work of art? Guided by a collections registrar, discover the essentials of preventive conservation. Lighting, temperature, humidity, and handling: practice the gestures and precautions needed to protect artworks for the long term.

Adults | Time: 3:30 PM | Duration: 1h
Participation conditions: Activities are free. On-site registration opens at 10:00 for morning tours, 12:00 for early-afternoon tours, and 14:30 for the rest of the day. - Free | No reservation required
Schedule: Sunday, September 20, 2026 — 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM

Young and old alike will learn a lot and have a lot of fun over the two days!