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]
The world brought to life in vibrant hues: classic photographs displayed at the Roger-Viollet Gallery
The Roger-Viollet Gallery unveils a curated selection of 19th-century photographs, hand-colored to enhance their detail, in a free exhibition running from February 26 to June 6, 2026. [Read more]
Byblos, a millennia-old city in Lebanon: the historic exhibition at the Arab World Institute
The Arab World Institute takes us on a journey back in time to explore what was once the world’s first international seaport, around 9,000 years ago. The exhibition Byblos, a Millennia-Old Libyan City is open from March 24 to August 23, 2026. [Read more]
All-Inclusive Exhibition: Photographer Kourtney Roy and Citéco question tourism through our photos
With her vintage aesthetic and striking photographs, artist Kourtney Roy humorously highlights the contradictions of global tourism. Don't miss the exhibition All Inclusive, running from February 20 to September 20, 2026, at the City of Economy. [Read more]
Louis Vuitton Art Deco: LV Dream’s Free & Immersive Exhibition in Paris Extended — Our Photos
Louis Vuitton marks the 100th anniversary of the 1925 International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts with a new free exhibition, Louis Vuitton Art Deco, open until March 21, 2026, at LV Dream in the 1st arrondissement. This immersive journey intertwines leather, canvas, and geometric lines across eight themed rooms, showcasing over 300 heritage pieces and never-before-seen archives! [Read more]
I Love Sushi: The Free Exhibition That Will Tantalize Your Taste Buds at the Japan House of Culture - Our Photos
Sushi takes center stage at the Japan House in Paris! From January 20 to April 11, 2026, this cultural hub hosts a special, free exhibition dedicated to one of Japan’s most iconic culinary treasures. Through an array of sushi reproductions and traditional prints, visitors are invited to explore the fascinating history and evolution of this beloved Japanese delicacy! [Read more]
Saint-Cloud in the clouds: Free exhibition and flight simulator at the Avelines Museum
From February 12 to July 5, 2026, the Avelines Museum will take us soaring into the skies with a free exhibition exploring Saint-Cloud's pivotal role in aviation history — featuring historic archives alongside a flight simulator! [Read more]
Exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay: Northern Light – Scandinavian and Dutch Drawings
The Musée d'Orsay unveils "Northern Lights," an exhibition of 19th-century Scandinavian and Dutch drawings running from February 10 to May 10, 2026. Symbolist landscapes and intimate scenes showcase the unique sensibility of the Nordic artistic tradition. [Read more]
The language of the walls: China's stamped artworks displayed at the Museum of Decorative Arts
The Museum of Decorative Arts presents "The Language of Walls" from March 18 to June 28, 2026, an exhibition focused on the art of stamping. It brings together 19th-century Chinese pieces with contemporary imprints, all created directly on the stones of Notre-Dame de Paris during its restoration. [Read more]
K-Beauty at the Guimet Museum: A Major Exhibition on South Korea’s Beauty Secrets to Visit This Spring
The Guimet Museum hosts a major exhibition celebrating Korean beauty, delving into its influences and many facets. K-Beauty is open to visitors 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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
Plumes of Paradise at the Quai Branly Museum: an exhibition celebrating the birds of New Guinea
The Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum in Paris is hosting the exhibition Feathers of Paradise from May 12 to November 8, 2026. Dedicated to the birds of paradise from New Guinea, this showcase features nearly 190 items—including adornments, paintings, preserved specimens, fashion objects, and illustrated books. The exhibit takes visitors on a journey through five centuries of fascination with these spectacular creatures, weaving together perspectives from art, science, ethnology, and ecology. [Read more]
Silla: Gold and the Sacred — An Exhibition Showcasing Korea's Treasures at the Guimet Museum
The Guimet Museum unveils ancient treasures from the Silla Kingdom in South Korea with the exhibition "Silla: Gold and the Sacred," open from May 20 to August 31, 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]
The Hidden Treasures of the Nasrid Alhambra: An Exhibition in the Heart of Granada at the Arab World Institute
From November 24, 2026, to May 16, 2027, the Arab World Institute will take you on a journey to the Alhambra of the Nasrid sultans. Through an immersive experience and the display of extraordinary works of art, the exhibition revives the lost grandeur of Muhammad V's reign. [Read more]
A free, immersive exhibit explores the 1867 Universal Exhibition and the evolution of photography in Paris
Dive into the heart of the 1867 World's Fair through the lens of photography, from November 25, 2026, to February 22, 2027. Experience this engaging and free exhibit at the National Archives, offering an immersive journey into this historic event. [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
