The reopening of the Palais de la Découverte is highly anticipated by art and science enthusiasts: the Palais de la Découverte is currently closed to the public. A major renovation project, initiated in 2020, is underway to breathe new life into this renowned center of knowledge, which is housed within a wing of the Grand Palais.
For years now, the Palais de la Découverte has remained closed, with no clear prospects for reopening. Originally, the museum was scheduled to reopen in the summer of 2025, featuring a major exhibition and interactive activities. However, that plan has now been canceled: just days before the official reopening, bad news arrives. GrandPalaisRMN, the organization overseeing the Palais de la Découverte, announces construction delays. As a result, the museum cannot welcome visitors at this time, and the reopening has been postponed indefinitely.
For many months, the project appeared to be abandoned, and many doubted they would ever see the Palais de la Découverte reopened.
In December 2025, the Council of Ministers appointed a new president of Universcience: Sylvie Retailleau. Her remit includes overseeing the reopening of the Palais de la Découverte for the first quarter of 2027. By that date, the venue should be fully renovated and ready to welcome the public, according to the official statement. To complete the renovations, Retailleau must broker an agreement between Universcience and Grand Palais RMN to ensure the establishment is well managed.
This Monday, April 13, 2026, Universcience’s president can finally share the good news with AFP: “We will inaugurate the Palais de la Découverte in the first half of March 2027, just under a year from now,” promises Sylvie Retailleau. The president adds that “the important thing is to have this Palais de la Découverte. I remind you we were almost without it altogether.”
Sylvie Retailleau also explains that the Palais de la Découverte, along with the Ministries of Culture and Research, has reached an agreement: the museum will have access to eight exhibition galleries and will run the Palais des Enfants. By 2030, the Palais will also take back another gallery, currently operated by the Grand Palais, which shares the building.
In 1937, to coincide with the ParisWorld Fair , a new kind of museum was created: the Palais de la Découverte. Its aim was to showcase innovations and practical science, through experiments carried out in real time, in front of visitors. The aim of this museum was to popularize scientific practices. Housed in the west wing of the Grand Palais, the museum quickly won over the public.
In the face of such enthusiasm, the French government decided to make the Palais de la Découverte, originally intended to be a short-lived event, a permanent fixture.
Mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine: all fields of science are explored and exhibited. From 1937 to the present day, the Palais de la Découverte has grown and evolved to become an essential part of Parisian culture. With its exhibitions, conferences, meetings and experiments, the museum has found its audience.
Almost 90 years after its inauguration, the Palais de la Découverte is getting a facelift. The work undertaken should give the museum a completely new look, as it renews and modernizes its cultural offering. Visitors will soon be able to discover a whole new range of experiences and discoveries.
Five science laboratories will enable us to test, explore and experience scientific experiments involving computers, life and science. Themed islands of curiosity will offer mini-exhibitions based on research or current scientific events. Large themed rooms, both new and iconic, will tackle different universes such as space, the equatorial garden, the electricity room... All equipped, of course, with interactive digital devices.
Children are welcome too, with a new 620 m² space designed especially for them. Here, games, science and art combine to entertain and satisfy the curiosity of the youngest visitors.
After years of waiting, Parisians can't wait to rediscover the museum and its program. In the meantime, take advantage of the museum's latest news by visiting Les Etincelles, an ephemeral space set up in the heart of the Parc André Citroën.
What will the Palais de la Découverte look like when it reopens?
Closed for renovations for several years, the Palais de la Découverte is slated to reopen to the public in March 2027. Astronomy, mathematics, electricity: here’s what this landmark Paris science museum will offer. [Read more]
Transparence, the first exhibition of the new Palais des Enfants, at the Palais de la Découverte
It's a date we've all been waiting for: the Palais de la Découverte, which has been closed for renovation work for several years, will finally reopen its doors in 2025, with a brand new area dedicated to families, the Palais des enfants. An exhibition on the theme of Transparency is presented for the inauguration. [Read more]
The Sparks at the Palais de la Découverte, a must-see before they close
The Sparks at the Palais de la Découverte invite curious visitors aged six and up to the André-Citroën Park, open until December 31, 2026. For All Saints’ Day, three cryptography talks are scheduled for October 28. [Read more]
Location
Palais de la Découverte
Avenue Franklin Delano Roosevelt
75008 Paris 8
Route planner
Official website
www.palais-decouverte.fr
