Free exhibitions to see in Paris and Île-de-France in November 2026

What’s on offer at the museums and art galleries this month? Which stunning exhibitions can you look forward to in Paris and across Île-de-France? As always, the city’s cultural venues have a rich lineup of engaging events and exhibitions scheduled throughout November 2026.

But passion isn't always enough, and all these artistic events can weigh heavily on your monthly budget. Fortunately, there's no shortage of free exhibitions in Paris! To get out and discover new artists without spending a kopeck, just follow our guide.

There's something for all ages and tastes: street art, painting, sculpture, contemporary art, classic masters, modern installation, video, photography, drawing... The choice is not infinite, but almost!

• To be read
• The best things to do in Paris this weekend, October 23–25, 2026

The ball is in your court: explore our curated list of free exhibitions to check out in November 2026, and pick the one that catches your eye from the options available. No need to hold back — a visit to the museum is always good for the soul.

And don't forget to check this page regularly: new free exhibitions to discover are added regularly, depending on the programming of museums and art galleries.

Free Exhibitions to Explore in November 2026 in Paris and Île-de-France:

Pop Art Car 2.0: a free exhibition blending pop art, design and digital culture on the Champs-Élysées
Sponsored - From September 24, 2026 to January 31, 2027, pop art car 2.0 takes over Renault’s showcase on the Champs-Élysées, at 53 Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris. With a mix of historical works, never-before-seen digital pieces and automobiles, this free exhibition brings together artists Sébastien Preschoux, Popay, Victor Vasarely and Julio Le Parc. Not to mention the all-new show car, the Renault 8 Gordini Concept, unveiled in a world premiere. [Read more]

Sow Our Resistances: A freely accessible, advocacy-focused exhibition to explore at the Maif Social Club
Contemporary artists envision fairer, more sustainable futures through the exhibition Semons nos résistances. Free to visit at the Maif Social Club from October 17, 2026 to July 24, 2027. [Read more]

Free street-art festival at La Poste du Louvre 2026: the program
The street art and contemporary art festival at La Poste du Louvre is returning for its fourth edition, free of charge, from November 14 to 22, 2026 in the 1st arrondissement. It features a 350-square-meter exhibition, live painting in the courtyard, and opportunities to meet the artists. Here’s everything you need to know. [Read more]

Martin Parr at Saint Laurent: the free photo exhibition where self-deprecating humor takes center stage
British photographer Martin Parr flips the script and aims the lens at himself at Saint Laurent Montaigne in Paris. From October 15, 2026 to January 13, 2027, the Autoportrait exhibition gathers his most offbeat souvenir images, from costumes to kitschy sets and neatly framed self-deprecation. [Read more]

Hélène Fauquet: Vivresse — bubbles, shells and photography at Lafayette Anticipations — our photos
Hélène Fauquet presents Vivresse, a photography and sculpture exhibition on the top floor of Lafayette Anticipations in Paris, running from October 21, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Straddling the line between image and object, her work questions perception, materiality, and the transformation of forms — a visit that invites viewers to see the surroundings and their motifs in a new light. [Read more]

Yu Nishimura: the Towards the Sea exhibition at Lafayette Anticipations
Japanese artist Yu Nishimura presents the exhibition Towards the Sea at Lafayette Anticipations in Paris, from October 21, 2026 to January 3, 2027. This first institutional solo exhibition in France brings together around fifty works focused on landscape, memory, and the sea. [Read more]

Prune Nourry’s Exhibition at the Petit Palais: Visionaries, 18 Overlooked Women Sculptors Reveal Themselves
The free exhibition Visionaries by Prune Nourry lands at the Petit Palais in Paris’ 8th arrondissement, running from October 20, 2026 to January 24, 2027: eighteen monumental busts restore the faces of the forgotten women sculptors in art history. [Read more]

Open studios from Antwerp to Abbesses: meet the Montmartre artists
Dust off your calendars—you're invited to meet the artists from the Anvers Association at Abbesses, from November 20 to 23, 2026. These free open-door days are a perfect chance to discover contemporary artists in the Montmartre district. [Read more]

The creator of Mimi Cracra takes center stage in an exhibition at the BnF François-Mitterrand
Mimi Cracra, The Wacky Alphabet: Meet author-illustrator Agnès Rosenstiehl, the artist who has captivated generations with her stories. The BnF François-Mitterrand is hosting a free retrospective exhibition from November 3, 2026 to January 25, 2027. [Read more]

At the Edge of Imagination: a free exhibition blending art and ecology at the Pavillon Vendôme
The Clichy-la-Garenne Art Centre unveils "Aux frontières de l'imaginaire," a contemporary art exhibition free to visit from 14 October 2026 to 9 January 2027 at Pavillon Vendôme. [Read more]

KHADI : a CANVAS, the free exhibition on Indian art and craftsmanship
Sponsored - KHADI : a CANVAS is an exhibition that probes the ongoing dialogue between khadi, art, and India's cultural heritage, weaving in the legacies of Mahatma Gandhi and Raja Ravi Varma. Don’t miss it—it's right in the heart of Paris, in the 7th arrondissement. Best of all, admission is free. [Read more]

Spark of Life: a light-painting photography exhibition in Fontenay-aux-Roses
Photographer Rudy Pilarski turns the night into a workshop for creation with Spark of Life at Espace Rosa Bonheur in Fontenay-aux-Roses, running November 12 to December 6, 2026. A light-painting exhibition where glowing circles and bursts of sparks meet landscapes and architecture. [Read more]

We, the Grotesques: Guillermo Forchino's free exhibition at Galerie Joseph
The Joseph Gallery, in the Marais district of Paris, is hosting "Noi, i Grotteschi," a free exhibition bringing together 124 sculptures by Guillermo Forchino, from November 6 to 29, 2026. A retrospective that spans four decades of work, blending human comedy, biting humor, and a look at the fragilities of our society. [Read more]

Jean Marquis, chronicler of everyday life: the free exhibition unfolds at the Roger Viollet Gallery
French photographer Jean Marquis is featured at the Roger-Viollet Gallery, from October 8, 2026 to January 23, 2027: come discover the poetic and moving body of work of a true lover of everyday life. [Read more]

The street artist Sax presents a free Land Art exhibition at the Fondation Eugène Napoléon
The free exhibition "Imprints" by SAX brings together painting, photography, and Land Art at the Fondation Eugène Napoléon, a little-known heritage site in Paris's 12th arrondissement, to be discovered from October 29 to November 1, 2026. Three good reasons to go! [Read more]

Cabaret(s): a free photo exhibition at Temple Square
Until December 18, 2026, the railings of Temple Square in Paris host Cabaret(s) – The History of a Living Transmission. A free photo exhibition exploring the history and forms of the French cabaret. [Read more]

Viktoriia Oreshko's free exhibition opens at Sisley in Paris — review and photos
In Paris, the Sisley headquarters will exceptionally open its doors to the public for a free exhibition from October 13 to November 13, 2026. Awarded the 7th Sisley x Beaux-Arts de Paris Prize for Young Creation, Viktoriia Oreshko presents Le Monde des Choses, an unveiling of previously unseen paintings shaped by her memories of Kyiv, everyday objects, and the memory of places. [Read more]

Teenage Dream: Le Quai de la Photo explores adolescence in a free photography exhibition
Friends, romances, sports, music, school... Adolescence comes into focus in a free photo exhibition at Quai de la Photo, running from October 16 to December 21, 2026. [Read more]

Exploring Magic: our photos from the free exhibition with mystical overtones at the Goldshteyn-Saatort Gallery
Myths and folklore from the five continents converge in a free collective exhibition at the Goldshteyn-Saatort Gallery in Paris, running from September 25 to November 25, 2026. Titled Exploring Magic, the show brings together artists from around the world, including Ito Chieko, Asuka Irie, and Fin DAC. [Read more]

At 19M, this free fashion exhibition unveils the secrets behind Maison Michel’s hats.
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]

U2: An Irish Story, the exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of Bono's band at the Irish Cultural Centre
This fall, U2 turns 50. To mark the occasion, the Irish Cultural Centre in Paris presents a free exhibition centered on the legendary band fronted by Bono and its unbreakable bond with Dublin and its homeland. Save the date: September 23 to December 18, 2026, to discover this exclusive event. [Read more]

Ritz Paris: a free exhibition by 18 young photographers for Paris Photo 2026
On the occasion of Paris Photo 2026, the Ritz Paris will host, from November 13 to 16, a free exhibition imagined in collaboration with Gobelins Paris. Eighteen students in Photo-Vidéo deliver an unprecedented view of the palace on Place Vendôme. [Read more]

Underline, the living space with a free exhibition spanning 2,000 m2 beneath the Petite Ceinture, is being unveiled.
Underline opens its eleven railway vaults to the public on Friday, September 18, 2026, in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. This 2,000-square-metre creative workshop puts materiality and crafts in the spotlight, with a free exhibition featuring 40 artists, a shop, workshops, and a cafe-bar. [Read more]

10,000 years of culinary travel: the free exhibition at the Chinese Cultural Centre
From September 11 to November 10, 2026, the Chinese Cultural Centre is hosting the free exhibition "10,000 Years of Culinary Journey." Through an interactive tour that blends historical artifacts and technology, discover the millennia-old story and rituals of Chinese cuisine in the 7th arrondissement. [Read more]

[IN]IMAGINABLE: Imaginaries born from lowbrow and pop surrealism on display at Fluctuart
This autumn, the Fluctuart barge in Paris invites you to immerse yourself in the imaginaries born from lowbrow and pop surrealism. Catch it through December 20, 2026 to discover "[IN]IMAGINABLE", a free new exhibition that reveals a space where reality tips into fiction! [Read more]

PhotoSaintGermain 2026: The Left Bank's photo festival returns this autumn
It's back: head to Paris' Saint-Germain-des-Prés district to enjoy the PhotoSaintGermain festival, a free artistic event not to be missed, running November 5–28, 2026. [Read more]

Free after-hours at the Bourse de Commerce: save the date for Saturday, November 7, 2026.
Want to visit the collections at the Bourse de Commerce? Take advantage of the free late-opening session, held on the first Saturday of every month, to discover this must-see art venue in Paris. Next date to note in your calendar: Saturday, November 7, 2026. Tickets sell out quickly—book now. [Read more]

BACK TO MR CUTE : the season’s opening exhibition that will have all pop culture and street art lovers swooning.
Sponsored - What if your fondest childhood memories came to life in the heart of Paris? With BACK TO MR CUTE, discover the very first pop-up gallery dedicated to the world of artist Mr Cute. This immersive exhibit blends pop art and street art to playfully reimagine the iconic figures of the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. Goldorak, Candy, Marilyn, Amicalement Votre, Daft Punk, and many more await for a journey that’s as nostalgic as it is surprising… on view for only a few weeks. [Read more]

Théo Mercier and Thomas Houseago: a free joint exhibition at Reiffers Initiatives
This fall, Reiffers Initiatives shines a spotlight on two rising contemporary artists. Head to Paris’s 17th arrondissement to explore the artistic worlds of British sculptor Thomas Houseago and French artist Théo Mercier in a joint, free exhibition not to be missed from October 23 to December 12, 2026. [Read more]

Two centuries of images: a free, outdoor photography exhibition in Hauts-de-Seine.
The Domaine de Sceaux and the Chanteraines departmental park are hosting a brand-new, free photo exhibition. From June 18 to December 18, 2026, discover “Two Centuries of Images.” [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]

Silent Storytellers: Female Sculptors Share Their Journeys in a New Exhibition at Espace Monte-Cristo
The Monte-Cristo Space will host several female sculptors from April 18 to December 13, 2026, offering free access to the exhibition titled "Speakers of Silence." [Read more]

ZEUS, the iconic metal horse from the Olympics, on display for free at the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Paris
Zeus, the mechanical horse from the Olympic Games that captured everyone's hearts, has now arrived at the Musée des Arts et Métiers in Paris. The towering steel colossus is open to the public free of charge from December 17, 2025, to January 10, 2027. [Read more]

To make sure you don't miss out on any good deals and free outings, check out our weekly and weekend guides. Mark your calendars!