Are you depressed by the greyness and concrete of Paris? The next vacations are still a long way off, but you need to get away now? Don't worry, we've got the solution! Forget planes, trains or hitchhiking: you don't have to leave Paris to travel and discover new cultures. The capital's museums and art galleries are brimming with magnificentexhibitions that take us from one end of the world to the other.
To escape from the gloom and doom that's setting in, there's nothing like a short trip for a change of scenery. The great thing about Paris is that you can immerse yourself in a wide range of cultures, and even change continents, just by taking a stroll or a ride on the metro. And sometimes, you can even cross the centuries to discover ancient foreign civilizations! Better than magic, it's art.
You don't need a passport or any special vaccinations: all you need to travel thanks to museums is a curious mind and wide-open eyes! Let us take you on a journey of discovery, according to the programming of the art venues, and prepare to be amazed. It's even said that some museums offer us journeys beyond our Earth, to the stars... Dare you try it?
Paintings, photos, sculptures, installations...Art transports us through the ages and across the globe, and we travel on a budget! Treat yourself to a cultural world tour, thanks to the museums, art galleries and cultural institutions in Paris and the Île-de-France region. Choose your next destination with this guide, and embark on an artistic world tour.
Discover our current exhibitions:
"Rêveries de pierres" at the École des Arts Joailliers: an exhibition of a precious collection of stones
Sponsored - Are you in search of a truly original, poetic, and deeply mesmerizing exhibition? From November 6, 2025, to March 29, 2026, the École des Arts Joailliers, in partnership with the Muséum national d’histoire naturelle, invites you to explore "Dreams of Stones: Poetry and Minerals of Roger Caillois," right in the heart of Paris’s 9th arrondissement. This event offers a rare opportunity to marvel at 200 extraordinary minerals, accompanied by never-before-seen texts from one of the most distinctive thinkers of the 20th century. Additionally, entry is free with prior reservation (link below). [Read more]
Urban stroll: Japan sketched by Florent Chavouet at the Maison de la Culture du Japon
The Maison de la Culture du Japon in Paris is hosting a small, free exhibition dedicated to the sketches of French illustrator Florent Chavouet. Visit between December 2, 2025, and January 10, 2026, to discover this beautiful illustrated urban stroll. [Read more]
What's in the works: the textile and fashion exhibition between India and France at the Mobilier National
The Mobilier National will be showcasing the textile creations of India and France, which have been intertwined for centuries, in an exhibition that doubles as a festival, from December 4, 2025 to January 4, 2026. [Read more]
Gallery of the Five Continents: opening of a new exhibition space at the Louvre Museum
From December 3, 2025, the Gallery of the Five Continents will be open to visitors at the Louvre Museum, offering an opportunity to admire works from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, in a journey that reveals the diversity and dialogue of human creativity across the globe. [Read more]
What's Weaving - Stories woven between India and France: a unique exhibition on textile art
Sponsored - From December 4, 2025, to January 4, 2026, the Institut français, the French Embassy in India, and the Manufactures Nationales are organizing an exceptional event to showcase textile creation, at the crossroads of contemporary art and craftsmanship. This event combines an exhibition and a festival, celebrating the textile expertise of India and France. Between artistic craftsmanship and contemporary creation, "Ce qui se trame - Histoires tissées entre l'Inde et la France" (What is being woven - Stories woven between India and France) brings together works, heritage objects, and cross-cultural residencies, revealing a cultural and artistic bridge between two rich and complementary textile traditions. [Read more]
Les Peintres de la Marine: an exhibition dedicated to the maritime world at the Espace Richaud in Versailles
The Espace Richaud is celebrating 400 years of the French Navy with an exhibition dedicated to the works of the official painters of the Navy. Running from November 19, 2025, to May 3, 2026, the exhibition "Les Peintres de la Marine" invites the public to discover the maritime world from an artistic and historical perspective. [Read more]
Flavors of Timeless Tokyo: exhibition on the Japanese capital and cooking workshops in Paris
From November 10, 2025, to January 10, 2026, HIS Paris is transforming its concept store into a vibrant tribute to Tokyo. With a free exhibition by artist Mateusz Urbanowicz, culinary workshops, and objects from Japan, the event immerses the capital in the spirit of Tokyo. [Read more]
China, Imprints of the Past: the exhibition between art and archaeology at the Cernuschi Museum - our photos
Follow the quest of Chinese scholars and archaeologists, through ancient inscriptions and new reproduction techniques. From November 7, 2025 to March 15, 2026, the Musée Cernuschi retraces how these prints revolutionized the literary arts and inspired modernity. [Read more]
"A Century of Conservation—From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum": Photo Exhibition in Paris
Sponsored - Immerse yourself in Chinese culture with an exceptional exhibition at the China Cultural Center in Paris, from November 12, 2025, to January 20, 2026, except Sundays, public holidays, and Saturdays during school holidays. This cultural event is open to all, with free admission and no reservation required. This exhibition is an invitation to discover, understand, and experience the deep roots of Chinese civilization. [Read more]
Deserts: the extended scientific exhibition at the Natural History Museum in Paris
The National Museum of Natural History in Paris takes us to the most extreme corners of the planet with the exhibition "Deserts," open from April 2, 2025, to April 19, 2026. [Read more]
Pekka Halonen: an ode to Finland, the contemplative exhibition at the Petit Palais - our photos
From November 4, 2025, to February 22, 2026, the Petit Palais is dedicating a major retrospective to the Nordic painter Pekka Halonen. Entitled "A Hymn to Finland," this temporary exhibition showcases the work of this Finnish artist, who trained in Paris and loved to depict wild, snow-covered landscapes. Spotlight on this artistic event, designed as a sensory experience that takes us on a journey to the heart of Finland's sublime nature. [Read more]
Thierry Lefort's California - 20 years of painting: Free retrospective exhibition
Sponsored - How about taking a trip to California without leaving Paris? From December 23, 2025, to January 7, 2026, the Beffroi de Montrouge is hosting "La Californie de Thierry Lefort," a museum-scale exhibition curated by Yoyo Maeght.
This exceptional retrospective traces twenty years of painting between Paris and Los Angeles. An artistic journey not to be missed. Admission is free upon reservation, with a gift for each visitor (links below). [Read more]
In the wake of Magellan: the exhibition at the heart of the crossing at the National Maritime Museum
Discover the incredible epic journey of Magellan and his crew 500 years ago across the world's oceans through an immersive exhibition, starting October 22, 2025, at the National Maritime Museum. [Read more]
Isao Takahata: an exhibition dedicated to the master of animation at Japan's House of Culture, our photos
Considered one of the greatest masters of Japanese animation, Isao Takahata is honored in a groundbreaking exhibition at the Maison de la culture du Japon in Paris from October 15, 2025 to January 24, 2026. Through storyboards, sketches, celluloid and film and video extracts, discover the rich career of this famous Japanese director and co-founder of Studio Ghibli. [Read more]
Amazônia at the musée du quai Branly: the exhibition at the heart of indigenous cultures unveiled
Discover the ancestral arts and contemporary creations of the Amazon's indigenous peoples. As part of the Brazil-France 2025 Season, the musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac presents Amazônia, an original exhibition on view from September 30, 2025 to January 18, 2026. [Read more]
Amerindian allies at the court of Louis XV: the historical exhibition at the Château de Versailles
Immerse yourself in the Mississippi Valley from November 25, 2025 with the Château de Versailles exhibition on the native nations who allied themselves with the French when they settled in Louisiana during the reign of the young Louis XV. [Read more]
MIDAN, a naive art museum nestled in a country house in Vicq (78)
The Musée international d'art naïf d'île-de-France (MIDAN) is located in Vicq, a small town in the Yvelines department of France, a cultural venue dedicated to a little-known yet very rich artistic movement. [Read more]
Mission spatiale, the new permanent exhibition in the stars at the Cité des sciences
Take a trip into space from October 23, 2023 at the Cité des sciences et de l'industrie, with a new permanent exhibition on the conquest of space. [Read more]
Europa Expérience, an immersive exhibition on the European Union
Europa Experience is a unique interactive space on the European Union situated in the heart of Paris, in front of the famous Madeleine church. This 1500m2 permanent exhibition about the European Union, spread over three floors has a main goal: providing visitors with an immersive, interactive and enriching experience. Through a multimedia journey with enhanced reality activities and a 360° cinema, you travel to the four corners of the EU... from Paris. [Read more]
I Love Sushi: A Free Exhibition in Paris Celebrates Japan's Iconic Cuisine
In 2026, sushi takes center stage at the Japan Cultural Center in Paris! From January 20 to April 11, the Japanese cultural center is hosting a unique, free exhibition dedicated to this iconic element of Japanese cuisine. [Read more]
K-Beauty at the Musée Guimet: a major exhibition on Korean beauty to be held this spring
The Musée Guimet is devoting a major exhibition to Korean beauty, exploring its influences and multiple facets. On view from March 18 to July 6, 2026. [Read more]
Imaginary maps, inventing worlds: the sensory exhibition at the BnF François-Mitterrand
From March 24 to July 19, 2026, the BnF François-Mitterrand is offering a rare immersion into cartography and its imaginary territories, through more than 200 works, for a journey to the frontiers of reality and fiction. [Read more]
Byblos, eternal city: explore the historic city with the exhibition at the Arab World Institute.
The Arab World Institute takes us on a journey to discover the world's first international seaport, dating back nearly 9,000 years. The exhibition Byblos, Eternal City is open from March 24 to August 23, 2026. [Read more]
Kazuo Kitai, Celebrating the Everyday: A Photography Exhibition at the Japan Culture House
In spring 2026, the Japan House in Paris will showcase the work of Kazuo Kitai, celebrated as one of Japan’s foremost post-war photographers. Titled "Kazuo Kitai, Celebrating Everyday Life," the exhibition will feature 130 prints that visitors can view from April 30 to July 25, 2026. [Read more]
The Call of the Deep: the exhibition in the abyss at the National Maritime Museum
From October 14, 2026, to February 14, 2027, the National Maritime Museum explores the depths at the Trocadéro. Nearly 240 works retrace the history of underwater exploration, from innovations and myths to scientific discoveries. [Read more]
No need for a passport, you can leave immediately for the most beautiful of journeys. So, where do you start? What's your next destination?
Dates and Opening Time
From March 31, 2023 to December 31, 2028
