Free outdoor cinema at the Musée du Quai Branly: the 2026 lineup

The Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum is reviving its free outdoor cinema in Paris for Summer 2026. From July 9 to August 2, 2026, screenings take place in the museum's outdoor amphitheatre, as part of Jardin d’été, the free summer festival this year celebrating the museum’s 20th anniversary.

Following a 2025 edition dedicated to gastronomy in cinema, the 2026 program shifts its focus. In parallel with the exhibition Plumes du paradis, the cycle spotlights the figure of the animal in cinema, with adventure, animation, documentaries and feature films to be screened outdoors.

Open-air cinema at the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac in 2026
Dates: July 9 to August 2, 2026
Location: Théâtre de verdure, Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Paris 7th arrondissement
Tarif: free with prior reservation
Public: all ages and family screenings depending on the film
Cadre: Summer Garden 2026

Summer Thursdays: four evening screenings

Summer Thursdays offer screenings at 19h30, in the original version subtitled in French. Each screening is preceded by a roughly 30-minute flash quiz, hosted by Stéphane du Mesnildot.

• Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. : Life of Pi, by Ang Lee, recommended for ages 12 and up.
• Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. : The Host, by Bong Joon-ho, recommended for ages 12 and up with a warning.
• Thursday, July 23, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. : Animal Kingdom, by Thomas Cailley, recommended for ages 14 and up with a warning.
• Thursday, July 30, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. : Gorillas in the Mist, by Michael Apted, recommended for ages 10 and up.

Weekend family screenings

On Saturdays and Sundays, the lineup is geared more toward families, with daytime screenings. The films are shown in French, with the exception of Antarctica.

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• Saturday, July 11, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. : The Winged Migration, by Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud and Michel Debats, for ages 10 and up.
• Sunday, July 12, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. : Louise and the Legend of the Feathered Serpent, by Hefang Wei, for ages 6 and up.
• Saturday, July 18, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. : Flow, the Cat Who Was No Longer Afraid of Water, by Gints Zilbalodis, for ages 8 and up.
• Sunday, July 19, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. : The Velvet Queen, by Marie Amiguet and Vincent Munier, for ages 10 and up.
• Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. : Antarctica, by Koreyoshi Kurahara, for ages 7 and up.
• Sunday, July 26, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. : Monkey King Against the Celestial Palace, by Lai-ming Wan, for ages 7 and up.
• Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. : The Red Turtle, by Michael Dudok de Wit, for ages 10 and up.
• Sunday, August 2, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. : Pompoko, by Isao Takahata, for ages 8 and up.

The screenings are free, but require online reservations, subject to availability, via the Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum website.

This cycle should appeal to families looking for free screenings this summer, as well as moviegoers hoping to revisit films about the animal world in an outdoor setting. Thursday screenings, in particular, cater more to a teenage and adult audience, with several titles carrying age recommendations or warnings.

Outdoor cinema is part of the broader Jardin d’été 2026 program, running from July 4 to August 2 at the Musée du Quai Branly. For the festival’s other free activities—workshops, storytelling, quizzes, late-night screenings, and green strolls—a dedicated article lets you follow the full Jardin d’été lineup at the Musée du Quai Branly

For more ideas for screenings under the stars, also explore our selection of outdoor cinema festivals in Paris.