All year long, Paris pulses to the beat of cultural events that invite us to rediscover its heritage in a fresh light. On Saturday, May 23, 2026, it’s the turn of the Nuit des Musées to make its grand return. The concept is simple: cultural venues open their doors — often for free — offering nocturnal tours usually complemented by a program of activities, workshops, concerts, performances, and other surprises. A smart plan for history, art, and heritage lovers, inviting us to explore the region’s treasures across Île-de-France.
It's also an opportunity to discover the capital's secrets through little-known, confidential museums nestled in the four corners of Paris. Among them is the Bibliothèque Polonaise, located in the heart of the City of Light on the Île Saint-Louis, in a 17th-century building. Founded in 1838 by Polish refugees, it is home to the Polish Historical and Literary Society, as well as three confidential museums, each dedicated to an artistic and historical figure from Poland.
We’ll visit the Adam Mickiewicz Museum, regarded as one of the greatest Romantic poets, the Chopin Salon, the only venue in France dedicated to the famed composer, and the Boleslas Biegas Museum, a sculptor, painter and playwright. Want to know the program awaiting you for this Night of Museums 2026? Check it out below!
Last day to discover the exhibition Biegas and Ukraine.
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Dive into the creative universe of Bolesław Biegas, where sculpture, painting and formal experimentation converge to reveal the depth and distinctiveness of his work. The exhibition highlights the diversity of his output and the power of his artistic vision, offering an immersive tour through his creations.
It also underscores the close ties Biegas maintained with Ukraine, where he spent time regularly and produced several works, notably in Masłówka, at his patrons, the Trutschel barons. Paintings, sculptures, photographs, fabrics and furniture created during these stays speak to the intercultural dimension of his work and the artistic dialogue between France, Poland and Ukraine.
Curator of the exhibition: Anna Aurelia Bieniek
The Polish Library in Paris invites you to explore a remarkable collection that traces the life of Poles in France and across Europe from the 19th century. Comprising daguerreotypes, portraits, family albums, landscapes, reproductions of artworks, and historical documents, it offers a unique testament to the cultural and artistic richness of the Polish diaspora.
Among the treasures on display are portraits of iconic figures such as Adam Mickiewicz and his family, Władysław Mickiewicz, members of the Gałęzowski and Gronkowski families, and photographs signed by renowned Polish and European photographers. The images invite viewers to glimpse not only daily life and historical events but also artistic creations, artists’ studios, and the urban and industrial landscapes of the era.
This exhibition is a journey through time, an invitation to explore the diversity of subjects and photographic techniques, and a celebration of photography as both art and memory. It highlights the creativity and ingenuity of photographers while honoring the history and culture of Poles in France and beyond.
Polish Library of Paris - Adam Mickiewicz Museum - Chopin Salon - Biegas Museum
The Polish Library of Paris, a landmark of Polish emigration since the mid-19th century, stands as the largest cultural institution representing Poland outside its borders. Located on Île Saint-Louis, in the heart of Paris, in a splendid 17th-century building, it houses valuable books and archives, along with a sizable art collection. Fully renovated and modernized at the start of the 21st century, the Polish Library welcomes readers and researchers eager to deepen their understanding of Franco-Polish relations and Polish history. The Library preserves much of the memory of Poland’s greatest 19th-century Romantic poet, Adam Mickiewicz (Museum), and of the famed composer Frédéric Chopin (Salon). It regularly hosts conferences, exhibitions and concerts. The 19th-century documentary heritage has been UNESCO-listed in 2013 as a Memory of the World. Step onto the Polish Library of Paris’ site and discover its treasures, safeguarded for decades, in a slice of “Polishness” at the heart of the City of Light.
Program:
• Chopin: Nocturne No. 13 in C minor, Op. 48 No. 1
• Schubert: Four Impromptus, Op. 90, D. 899
• Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57, Appassionata
• Chopin: Polonaise No. 6 in A-flat major, Op. 53, Heroic
Étienne Rall, born in Gramat, Lot, began learning music at the age of 3. The young pianist is pursuing his studies at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse (CNSMD) in Paris, in Marie-Josèphe Jude’s class, where he has become the institution’s first blind student. A laureate of numerous international piano competitions, he regularly gives recitals at the National Institute for Blind Youth in Paris and more recently at Toulouse-Capitole University. He also participates in several festivals, including the Musidora Festival and the “Music in the Street” Festival in Aix-en-Provence.
Gender and Messianism, or How to Think Today the Romantic Revolution and the Great Emigration Through the Lens of Women's Roles and Other Minorities in Slavic Literature and in the Political Spirituality of the Polish Romantic Paradigm A discussion around Hubert Czerepok’s exhibition, “Le passé recomposé,” shown last year at the Polish Library in Paris, which rekindled questions about how we read the great national narratives today.
Participation:
Agata Araszkiewicz, writer, researcher, art critic, feminist activist and PhD in literature, affiliated with LEGS/Paris 8/CNRS and the Université libre de Bruxelles. She is a member of the Council of the Association of Women Congress in Poland and co-organizer and honorary president of the Congress of Women in Belgium.
Hubert Czerepok, visual artist, professor in the Department of Experimental Cinema at the Academy of Fine Arts in Szczecin.
Małgorzata Perigot-Grygielewicz, philosopher, philologist and translator. Professor at the École Européenne Supérieure de l’Image in Angoulême, member of the scientific council and of the translators’ panel for Sarah Kofman. Co-editor of the anthology Le Futurisme polonais, 1918–1924. Poésie. Manifestes. Déclarations.
Sylwia Szymaniak, art historian and exhibition curator. She heads the Foundation for Polish Modern Art and the Biuro Wystaw exhibition space in Warsaw.
Agnieszka Wiatrzyk, PhD in art history and exhibition curator, deputy head of the artistic collections at IBPP.
Dates and Opening Time
On May 23, 2026
Location
Polish Library of Paris
6 Quai d'Orléans
75004 Paris 4
Access
Pont Marie metro station (line 7)
Prices
Free
Official website
www.bibliotheque-polonaise-paris-shlp.fr
