They led exceptional lives, revolutionized their fields, changed history or produced masterpieces admired by generations of visitors... They deserve to be in the spotlight, at the heart of an exhibition dedicated to their lives and careers.
These individuals - artists, politicians, geniuses - are honored by museums and art galleries, through a never-before-seen retrospective. These exhibitions enable us to learn more about the great figures who have had such a major impact on our lives and on art.
So it's decided, we're off to discover one of these beautiful retrospective exhibitions! Yes, but which one? To find out, all you have to do is choose the one that most appeals to you, from our selection below. We've rounded up the top retrospective exhibitions to see right now and in the weeks to come in Paris and the Paris region.
This guide is updated regularly, according to the programs of museums and art venues in Paris and the Île-de-France region. Don't hesitate to come back to this page often to find out what's new!
Eternal Tintoretto: the Italian painter in the spotlight at a Jacquemart-André Museum exhibition
Come and admire the masterpieces of Tintoretto, the master of Italian painting, at the Jacquemart-André Museum, in an exclusive exhibition on view from September 11, 2026 to January 24, 2027. [Read more]
This free fashion exhibition in Paris reveals how the hats that headline the major runway shows are created.
Behind a beret, a boater, or a capeline lie hours of work and skills handed down through generations. From September 23 to December 13, 2026, the 19M will host a free exhibition dedicated to Maison Michel, inviting the public to discover the behind-the-scenes of hatmaking. [Read more]
Gianni Versace: The retrospective exhibition of the Italian fashion designer at the Maillol Museum — extended
Paris goes glam this summer with the "Gianni Versace Retrospective" at the Maillol Museum, running June 5 to October 31, 2026. Between baroque opulence and an overload of prints, the fashion retrospective promises color and extravagance, true to the legend. [Read more]
Madeleine de Sinéty, A Life: The Retrospective Exhibition at the Jeu de Paume — Our Photos
The Jeu de Paume is presenting a retrospective of Madeleine de Sinéty's work, a photographer who captured rural daily life. The exhibition "Une vie" is on view from June 12 to September 27, 2026. [Read more]
Exhibition: Camille Vivier in a retrospective at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie
The European House of Photography is devoting a major retrospective to French artist Camille Vivier, a figure in contemporary photography as arresting as she is powerful. The exhibition runs from June 10 to September 13, 2026. [Read more]
Eva Gonzalès exhibition at the Petit Palais, the first major retrospective arrives
The exhibition devoted to the Impressionist painter Eva Gonzalès (1847–1883), the sole pupil of Édouard Manet, opens at the Petit Palais in Paris from 15 September 2026 to 24 January 2027. A first-ever global monograph of her work that you’d be wise not to miss. [Read more]
Kerry James Marshall reveals his stories in an exhibition at the Paris Museum of Modern Art.
American artist Kerry James Marshall is in the spotlight at the Museum of Modern Art: his exhibition The Histories explores the place of African Americans in U.S. history. On view from September 18, 2026 to January 24, 2027. [Read more]
Leonardo Cremonini in Versailles: the exhibition at Espace Richaud and the Lambinet Museum — our photos
The Espace Richaud and the Lambinet Museum in Versailles are hosting an exhibition devoted to Leonardo Cremonini, a master of poetic realism, narrative stillness, and pictorial tension, from May 27 to October 5, 2026. [Read more]
Van Gogh, Starry Night: the immersive exhibition lands this summer at the Atelier des Lumières
First shown in 2019, the Atelier des Lumières invites us back into Van Gogh’s world for an immersive exhibition open three days a week from July 3 to September 13. Wander through Van Gogh’s finest paintings, rediscovering the genius that was misunderstood in his own time. [Read more]
Fashion in all its majesty: the Haute Couture exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs unfolds — our photos
The Decorative Arts Museum hosts Fashion in Majesty: Haute Couture and Tradition at the Thai court from May 13 to November 1, 2026. Through more than a hundred outfits, accessories, and textile pieces drawn from the royal family's collections, the exhibition shows how Queen Sirikit modernized Thai ceremonial dress while preserving its traditional codes, notably through her collaboration with Pierre Balmain and Maison Lesage. [Read more]
Pauline Curnier Jardin at the Palais de Tokyo: an exhibition about myths and bodies — our photos
The Palais de Tokyo in Paris presents a monographic exhibition by Pauline Curnier Jardin from April 3 to September 13, 2026. Through installations, films, and performances, the French artist explores rituals, gender, and representations of the body in a sensory journey that brings together major works and recent creations, in collaboration with Madrid’s Museo Reina Sofía. [Read more]
Joseph Grigely at the Palais de Tokyo: an exhibition on cultural accessibility — our photos
The Palais de Tokyo in Paris presents We’re Here – This is where we are, an exhibition by Joseph Grigely to be unveiled from April 3 to September 13, 2026. A deaf artist, Joseph Grigely stages in a museum space that is notoriously hard to access to question architectural accessibility in cultural institutions. Through visual works and a risograph publication, he highlights how spaces are designed and how they are actually traversed by visitors. [Read more]
At the Palais de Tokyo, Cheryl Marie Wade explores crip culture and engaged poetry — our photos
The Palais de Tokyo in Paris presents a group exhibition centered on Cheryl Marie Wade’s poems, running from April 3 to September 13, 2026. A tribute to a key figure of Berkeley’s crip scene, the show unites archives, performances, and installations to give voice to a form of poetry that is at once political and militant, deeply tied to the history of disability. [Read more]
Cathy de Monchaux at the Palais de Tokyo: the retrospective to see in Paris — our photos
The Palais de Tokyo, in Paris, presents the first retrospective in France of British artist Cathy de Monchaux, titled "Studio, Wounds and Battles. Desire is the Reiteration of Hope", running from 3 April to 13 September 2026. The exhibition brings together nearly fifty works and revisits four decades of creation, exploring the body, materials and intimate narratives. [Read more]
Adya & Otto van Rees: The Exhibition Showcasing Two Little-Known Artists at the Montmartre Museum
The Montmartre Museum is hosting a comprehensive retrospective dedicated to the duo Adya and Otto van Rees, two influential figures of European avant-garde whose work remains relatively underrecognized. The exhibition runs from March 20 to September 13, 2026. [Read more]
Robert Capa Exhibition at the Museum of the Liberation of Paris
The Museum of the Liberation of Paris is hosting an exhibition dedicated to Robert Capa, a legendary figure in war photojournalism, in collaboration with Magnum Photos. This immersive journey explores his perspective on 20th-century conflicts and is open from February 18 to December 20, 2026. [Read more]
Exhibition "Cézanne and Us" at the Grand Palais: Dive into the Legacy of the Father of Modern Art
The Grand Palais is hosting a major exhibition dedicated to Paul Cézanne, titled Cézanne and Us, running from September 23, 2026, to January 17, 2027. This outside-the-venue exhibit has been developed in partnership with the Musée d'Orsay. [Read more]
Rafael Pavarotti Photographer: A Fashion Photography Exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris
Fashion photography takes over the Museum of Decorative Arts with an exhibition dedicated to Rafael Pavarotti. From September 23, 2026, to February 7, 2027, over 200 vibrant prints will showcase, for the first time in France, the career of the Brazilian photographer and engage in a dialogue with the museum's photographic collections. [Read more]
The Warhol Line: An Exhibition Showcasing Andy Warhol’s Forgotten Works at the Luxembourg Museum
The Luxembourg Museum delves into Andy Warhol's sketches in a groundbreaking exhibition running from September 16, 2026, to January 10, 2027. [Read more]
Machine arrière #2, the typewriter: the retro exhibition at the Cité des Sciences - our photos
From November 25, 2025, the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie will be showcasing the typewriter in its "Machine arrière" series. A historical and audio immersion between technical innovations and social struggles. [Read more]
LV Dream by Louis Vuitton: free exhibition, boutique, café and chocolate shop
The famous Maison Louis Vuitton opens LV DREAM, a free exhibition and gift store that also features a café and a chocolate shop in collaboration with Chef Pâtissier Maxime Frédéric of Cheval Blanc Paris. While the exhibition is by reservation only, the boutique and café are open to the public. [Read more]
Look, 40 Years of Fashion at the Museum: A Retrospective Couture Exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts
At the Museum of Decorative Arts, the 40th anniversary of the Museum of Fashion is celebrated with "Look: 40 Years of Fashion at the Museum," a must-see fashion exhibition. Forty iconic ensembles take the runway in the nave's central space, surrounded by sketches, patterns, and embroidery, showcasing four decades of style and craftsmanship. [Read more]
Monet and Time at the Orangerie Museum: An Exhibition Exploring the Moment, the Duration, and the Water Lilies
At the Orangerie Museum, the exhibition "Monet and Time" delves into how Claude Monet captured moments, the passage of time, and the evolving landscape through his series and the Water Lilies cycle, running from September 30, 2026, to March 29, 2027. [Read more]
In Paris, this exhibition traces 60 years of fashion through the lens of Irving Penn, opening in September.
Irving Penn makes his mark at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie with PENN & FASHION, running from September 30, 2026 to January 17, 2027. Spanning more than six decades of images, the exhibition shows how his eye reshaped the rules of fashion photography, from Dior and Balenciaga to Issey Miyake, Chanel, and John Galliano. [Read more]
Mary Cassatt: Embracing Independence — The Major Impressionist Exhibition at the Musée d'Orsay
Bold and contemporary, Mary Cassatt asserts her distinctive style and her freedom within Impressionism. From October 6, 2026, to January 31, 2027, the Musée d’Orsay celebrates her hundredth birthday with the exhibition "Mary Cassatt: The Choice of Independence," showcasing nearly 80 rare works. [Read more]
Belmondo the Magnificent: France’s film icon at the heart of an exhibition at the Cinémathèque
Bébel shines at the Cinémathèque française: Jean-Paul Belmondo takes center stage in a major exhibition running from October 7, 2026 to January 31, 2027. [Read more]
This 17th-century Spanish painter is finally on display at the Louvre.
The Louvre Museum is devoting a major retrospective to Francisco de Zurbarán, a leading figure in 17th-century Spanish painting. So we’re pulling out the calendar to note this first-ever exhibition, which will be staged in the Napoléon Hall from October 7, 2026 to January 25, 2027. [Read more]
Gustave Fayet at the Louis Vuitton Foundation: Van Gogh, Gauguin and Redon in a landmark exhibition
The Louis Vuitton Foundation is dedicating a major, blockbuster exhibition to Gustave Fayet, a visionary collector and multi-disciplinary creator, from October 9, 2026, to March 8, 2027. [Read more]
Georges Perec at the center of an exhibition at the BnF François-Mitterrand
The writer Georges Perec is at the heart of a show bearing his name, on view at the BnF François Mitterrand from October 13, 2026 to February 14, 2027. Come discover this indispensable 20th‑century author. [Read more]
Villeglé exhibition at Carnavalet: Paris, torn from the streets and urban art
The "Paris à l'arraché" exhibition celebrates Jacques Villeglé's centenary at the Musée Carnavalet, in the Marais, from 14 October 2026 to 14 February 2027. Torn posters, audio archives, and unseen documents trace 70 years of urban art in Paris. [Read more]
The Eye of Paris: Photographer Brassaï Honored in Exhibition at Hangar Y
Discover the poetic works of Brassaï, the quintessential French photographer of the 20th century, with the exhibition “The Eye of Paris,” on view at Hangar Y from October 17, 2026 to February 21, 2027. [Read more]
Louise Bourgeois Exhibition at the BnF: Drawings, Engravings and Nerves Laid Bare
The BnF Richelieu in Paris presents the exhibition "Louise Bourgeois. Extreme Tension," devoted to the drawings and prints by the Franco-American artist, from October 20, 2026 to February 21, 2027. A landmark gathering of the BnF’s holdings with those of the Centre Pompidou. [Read more]
Parallax: Stan Douglas, the artist at the center of a photography exhibition at the Jeu de Paume
Photography as a way to tell stories and shape reality... Discover Stan Douglas’s work through the Parallax exhibition, on view at the Jeu de Paume from 20 October 2026 to 10 January 2027. [Read more]
Billie Holiday, a tainted legend: the jazz icon spotlighted in an exhibition at the Philharmonie
She is part of the pantheon of the greatest American stars: singer Billie Holiday is at the heart of a major exhibition, on view at the Philharmonie de Paris from January 22 to July 11, 2027. [Read more]
Viktor & Rolf: a fashion‑event exhibition set to open at the Musée des Arts décoratifs in 2027
Sculptural gowns, exaggerated volumes, trompe-l'œil and spectacular silhouettes: the Musée des Arts décoratifs in Paris dedicates its next major retrospective to Viktor & Rolf from January 28 to July 4, 2027. A chance to discover thirty years of haute couture where fashion waltzes with contemporary art. [Read more]
Leonor Fini: the Argentine-born surrealist painter is on display at Paris's Musée d'Art Moderne
Surrealism enthusiasts have a date at the Musée d'art moderne de Paris from March 26 to August 15, 2027 to discover a major exhibition devoted to the Argentine-born painter Leonor Fini. [Read more]
Painters, sculptors, musicians, actors, great figures from French history... There are so many individuals to celebrate! Choose the one that interests you, and come and discover theexhibition dedicated to him or her. Enjoy your visit!
