The Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine by night: visit the collections every Thursday evening

Every Thursday evening, until 9pm, the Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine welcomes you for a nocturne through its permanent collections, architectural features and temporary exhibitions.

Finding time to devote to art or heritage during the week isn't always easy, between professional obligations and the pace of everyday life. The Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine offers a nocturne on Thursdays, allowing visitors to explore its galleries in a quieter atmosphere, far from the usual hustle and bustle of the day, with a view of the Eiffel Tower that changes its appearance as night falls.

Founded from the Musée de Sculpture Comparée created in 1879 by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, the Cité today embodies a benchmark institution dedicated to architecture and monumental heritage, housed in the Palais de Chaillot at Trocadéro. It houses three major permanent galleries: the galerie des moulages, with over 350 plaster casts of architectural masterpieces (XIIᵉ-XVIIIᵉ centuries); the galerie des peintures murales et des vitraux, featuring reproductions and stained-glass windows from the XIᵉ to the XVIᵉ centuries; and the galerie d'architecture moderne et contemporaine, featuring a rich collection of around 300 models, 900 drawings and life-size architectural elements, such as an apartment from Le Corbusier's Unité d'habitation.

Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris, opening hours, tickets and exhibitions
The Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, located in the Palais Chaillot on Place du Trocadéro, is an exceptional, monumental 22,000 m2 museum housing numerous models, city plans and immense scupltures. Here, you can take an in-depth look at some of the world's most beautiful buildings, and immerse yourself in the world of technology, architecture and urban planning. [Read more]

Visit the collections every Thursday until 9pm, with last admission at 8:20pm. Admission is €13 full price, with a reduced rate of €10, and free for children under 26. To avoid unpleasant surprises on arrival, the museum recommends reserving your paid admission slot in advance, to guarantee your place.

Good to know: some eagerly-awaited exhibitions have extended opening hours, with extra nights in addition to Thursdays, on Mondays and Saturdays until 9 p.m. Watch out for the installation of the moment!

Current events at the Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine

Art Basel Paris 2025: contemporary artists exhibit at the Cité de l'architecture
The Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine is also participating in the Art Basel Paris 2025 fair, hosting two new contemporary exhibitions from October 22, 2025, to February 16, 2026. [Read more]

Paris 1925, Art Deco and its architects: the exhibition opens at the Cité de l'Architecture
The Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine is celebrating a special anniversary: 100 years of the Art Deco movement. To mark the occasion, the museum is returning to the roots of Art Deco in Paris with an exhibition running from October 22, 2025, to March 29, 2026. [Read more]