Summer Garden 2026: the free festival is back at the Quai Branly Museum.

Jardin d’été is back at the Musée du Quai Branly from July 4 to August 2, 2026, with free activities, workshops, storytelling, strolls, quizzes, and outdoor cinema.

The Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum celebrates its 20th anniversary with a new edition of Jardin d’été, its free festival staged across the museum spaces and its garden. From July 4 to August 2, 2026, the event returns with a free program spread throughout the week: quizzes on Tuesdays and Fridays, Discovery Wednesdays, outdoor cinema on Thursdays, workshops on Saturdays, storytelling on Sundays, green walks on weekends, and the Summer Salon open from Tuesday to Sunday.

After a 2025 edition centered on world cuisines and flavors, the festival shifts its theme for 2026. This year, the program puts animals in the spotlight, in connection with the exhibition Plumes du paradis. The museum is offering a month of free activities to explore the animal world through its collections, stories, games, guided walks, and the outdoor cinema.

On the menu: quizzes to test your knowledge, Discovery Wednesdays for kids, creative workshops, stories in the garden, games open to all, green walks on weekends, and free Thursday-evening openings. The Quai Branly Museum also extends the experience with an open-air cinema series titled Bêtes de cinéma.

The Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum marks its 20th anniversary with a fresh edition of Jardin d’été, its free festival staged across the museum and its gardens. From July 4 to August 2, 2026, the event returns with outdoor activities, workshops, storytelling, quizzes, green walks, and open-air cinema.

Summer Garden 2026 at the Musée du Quai Branly
Dates: Saturday, July 4 to Sunday, August 2, 2026
Schedule: free activities offered Tuesday through Sunday, with varying days and hours
Venue: Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Paris 7th arrondissement
Admission: free, activities may vary and are subject to availability
Audience: all ages, with many activities suitable for ages 6 and up
Theme 2026: animals, marking the museum’s 20th anniversary

The lineup for Jardin d’été 2026

A program for everyone

The summer salon, with books, games and self-guided activities focused on animals.
Tuesday and Friday quizzes at the Jacques Kerchache Reading Room, at 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM, for ages 6 and up.
Green walks on Saturdays and Sundays to explore the museum garden.
The game Défis Nature : animaux insolites du musée du quai Branly, available for loan at the garden information point, Tuesday to Sunday from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
Free after-hours openings on Thursdays July 9, 16, 23 and 30, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
The cinéma en plein air, with screenings exploring the animal world.

Family-friendly programming

Discovery Wednesdays, every Wednesday from 2:30 to 5:30 PM, at the open-air theatre, for ages 6 and up
Saturday workshops, including Du vent dans les plumes, in homage to the exhibition Plumes du paradis
Sunday’s Story Garden, every Sunday from 2:30 to 4:30 PM, exploring animals from around the world
Family screenings of the open-air cinema, on weekends, booking required

Animal-themed activities for kids

Discovery Wednesdays invite children to explore the role of animals across different cultures. The announced activities will explore, among other things, fashion, martial arts, animal iconography in Oceania, and the connections between species, continents, and objects in the collections.

On Saturdays, the workshop Du vent dans les plumes lets participants craft a paper-feathered fan. On Sundays, Le jardin des contes offers tales about animals from around the world. These sessions are mainly aimed at families with children aged 6 and up.

Free Outdoor Cinema and Nighttime Screenings

Outdoor cinema returns as part of Jardin d’été 2026. Thursday evening screenings will be introduced by programmer Stéphane du Mesnildot and kicked off with a quick-fire quiz. The series spotlights films tied to animal imagery, with evening showings and family screenings on weekends.

Free outdoor cinema at the Musée du Quai Branly: the 2026 lineup
Outdoor cinema returns for free at the Musée du Quai Branly from July 9 to August 2, 2026, with a program exploring the animal world, as part of Jardin d’été. [Read more]

On Thursday evenings, the museum offers free after-hours access from July 9 to August 2, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Some activities and sessions may require online reservations.

The Summer Garden 2026 is aimed mainly at families seeking a free cultural outing this summer, but also at visitors who want to enjoy the museum’s garden, explore the collections from a different angle, or complete an exhibition visit. For more ideas on free cultural outings, also check our guide to free museums in Paris and the Île-de-France region, the July exhibitions in Paris, and the August summer exhibitions in Paris.

The full schedule and bookings are available on the official site of the musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac.