Art Basel 2026: a quirky menagerie settles into the Petit Palais — discover the free exhibition

Under the glass roof of the Grand Palais, from October 23 to 25, 2026, hundreds of galleries and artists from around the world will congregate. The Paris venue hosts the fifth edition of the Art Basel Paris, the fair dedicated to contemporary art. For fans of this art movement, this fair is a must-attend event, returning every autumn to the capital.

Art Basel Paris is also accompanied by an "hors les murs" program, allowing us to enjoy exhibitions, installations and performances at various venues in the City of Light. These events can be found at the Palais d'Iéna, in front of the Institut de France, at the Chapelle Saint-Augustin of the Beaux-Arts de Paris... Or simply across the street.

Indeed, once again this year, the Petit Palais, located just opposite the Grand Palais, is taking part in the contemporary art fair. From October 20 to 25, 2026, the City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts will host a exhibition by Cosima von Bonin, accessible free to the public.

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The German contemporary artist creates works that fuse fashion, architecture, music, and art. For the défilé Loewe Autumn-Winter 2026, Cosima von Bonin imagined an entire menagerie, animals in leather, velvet, or mohair. These unusual creatures, as adorable as they are funny, were dressed for their Paris debut: they now wear flamboyant accessories that give them a chic yet incongruous look. The menagerie of Cosima von Bonin has spilled into the museum’s permanent collections: you’ll encounter these unexpected animals during your visit!

For the full Art Basel Paris program, see our guide.

Art Basel 2026: the lineup of off-site exhibitions to discover in Paris
What are these monumental installations blooming across Paris? They’re the works from Art Basel Paris’s off-site program, the must-attend event in the Paris contemporary art scene. From October 20 to 25, 2026, come and marvel at these unusual installations. [Read more]

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