Exhibitions to see on Mondays in Paris: the perfect way to start the week

There's no better day to visit the capital's museums and art galleries. But there are days when this undertaking is more complicated. In Paris and the Ile-de-France region, many museums and monuments are closed on Mondays, including the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the Musée des Arts et Métiers, the Monnaie de Paris, the Musée Carnavalet, the Petit Palais, the Musée Rodin, the Musée du Quai Branly... The list goes on.

But does that mean you can't see a beautiful exhibition in Paris on a Monday? Don't worry, your plans for a day out won't be jeopardized. The Paris region has many more museums than that. Not to mention art galleries, foundations and institutes, cultural centers, châteaux... There's plenty to do!

So where to go, what to see, what to do this Monday? If you're a lover of culture and the arts, we've put together a list of exhibitions open on Mondays. Take your pick, and enjoy!

Exhibitions to see on Monday: 

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]

The Edgar Quinet Creation Market: a free, open-air art gallery
Sponsored - The Edgar-Quinet Creation Market invites you every Sunday in Paris's 14th arrondissement. Painting, sculpture, photography, engraving and ceramics. Every Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. And what if your stroll led you to meet artists? [Read more]

"Where's our money?" — a free and socially engaged exhibition on the economic power of women
"Où sont nos thunes" is the free, activist exhibition that casts a critical eye on women’s economic power. Nearly a dozen artists question society through the lens of art in a parcours that blends works, texts and archives, on view until October 24, 2026. [Read more]

150th Anniversary Expo and StreetArt Denfert: the massive free street-art exhibition unfolds.
The 150th Expo and StreetArt Denfert reveal themselves in the former Zara store at Denfert-Rochereau, Paris 14th arrondissement. We caught a sneak preview of this enormous, free street-art exhibition, on offer from October 3 to 25, 2026. Note that access requires free registration—book your tickets now! [Read more]

Remember Me: more than 700 photographic masterpieces from the Pinault Collection on display at the Bourse de Commerce
La Bourse de Commerce presents the photographic masterpieces from the Pinault Collection, on view from October 7, 2026 to January 18, 2027. For a little over three months, come and explore roughly 700 works by more than 70 artists, including Irving Penn, Raymond Depardon, Cindy Sherman, Annie Leibovitz, Man Ray, Erwin Blumenfeld, as well as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Richard Avedon. [Read more]

Belmondo, the Magnificent: the Cinémathèque honors the icon of French cinema
Bébel shines at the Cinémathèque française: Jean-Paul Belmondo is the focus of a major retrospective running from October 7, 2026 to January 31, 2027. [Read more]

Look, 40 years of fashion at the museum: the Musée des Arts Décoratifs retrospective exhibition — our photos
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]

PENN & FASHION: the exhibition that traces 60 years of fashion through Irving Penn's lens — our photos
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]

Rafael Pavarotti, Photographer: the fashion photography exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs — our photos
Fashion photography takes over the Musée des Arts Décoratifs with an exhibition devoted to Rafael Pavarotti. From October 2, 2026, to May 2, 2027, more than 200 color prints trace the Brazilian photographer's career for the first time in France and engage with the museum's photography collections. [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]

Palais Galliera: the fashion exhibition on the 19th-century revolution of the female wardrobe — our photos
At the Palais Galliera, the exhibition A Wardrobe of One’s Own: Dissident Femininities in the 19th Century reveals a little-known facet of women's fashion. From September 26, 2026 to February 14, 2027, more than 350 works trace how 19th‑century women appropriated the male wardrobe. An exhibition where clothing becomes a tool for emancipation and for reshaping identities. [Read more]

Photo Doc. 2026 in Paris, the go-to event for documentary photography at the Hôtel de l'Industrie
The Hôtel de l’Industrie welcomes the new edition of the Photo Doc. international fair, running October 9–12, 2026. Don’t miss this must-attend rendezvous for enthusiasts of documentary photography in Paris. [Read more]

Cézanne and Us at the Grand Palais: our photos from the blockbuster exhibition
Le Grand Palais hosts Cezanne and Us, a major retrospective conceived with the Centre Pompidou, the Musée d'Orsay and the Orangerie. Bringing together 174 masterpieces and numerous works by key figures of modern art, the show traces the imprint of the Aix-en-Provence artist from September 23, 2026 to January 17, 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]

AURA INVALIDES, the must-see sound and light show in Paris
Looking for a unique nocturnal experience in Paris? Ready to be amazed and embark on a timeless journey to a legendary heritage site? Come and discover AURA INVALIDES, a sound and light show at the iconic Dôme des Invalides as night falls. A magical moment in the heart of the Dome, sure to delight young and old alike. [Read more]

Who is interred in the Panthéon in Paris? The notable figures who have their tomb or cenotaph there
Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, Voltaire, Alexandre Dumas, Simone Veil... Inside Paris's Panthéon, the crypt holds the tombs of some of France’s most esteemed historical figures. But not every figure honored in the monument is actually buried there. Here are the best-known names laid to rest in the Panthéon and where to find their graves. [Read more]

Mary Cassatt. The Independent Woman: An Impressionist Exhibition at the Musée d’Orsay
From October 6, 2026 to January 31, 2027, the Musée d’Orsay presents Mary Cassatt. "The Independent Woman," a retrospective of nearly 80 paintings, pastels, and prints to mark the centenary of her death. [Read more]

Who is buried in Montmartre Cemetery? The celebrities and where their graves are located
Discover the list of celebrities from the world of arts and culture buried in Montmartre Cemetery, along with the sections where they rest. [Read more]

Who is buried in Montparnasse Cemetery? The celebrities and where their graves are located
The Montparnasse Cemetery, in the 14th arrondissement, is the final resting place for many notable figures. Here is a list of the famous people buried in this Parisian cemetery. [Read more]

Who is buried in Père-Lachaise Cemetery? The celebrities and where their graves are located
Which celebrities rest at Père Lachaise? Artists, musicians, writers—discover the list of notable figures buried in this famous Parisian cemetery, as well as the sections where they lie. [Read more]

History of Paris: the Cemetery of the Innocents and what remains of it today
Did you know? In the Halles district of Paris, there was once a well-known cemetery in the capital: the Cimetière des Innocents (or Saint Innocents' Cemetery). Discover its fascinating history and the few remaining vestiges. [Read more]

Did you know? This is the last of Hector Guimard's original Type B metro station aediculae.
Did you know? Hector Guimard's last surviving type B kiosk, nicknamed La Libellule, is located at Porte Dauphine station in Paris. This exceptional Parisian metro entrance is one of the last original vestiges, and we tell you all about it. [Read more]

Don't stop there: find out what other events and meetings await you this Monday in Paris and the Paris region.

What to do this Monday in Paris? Outings and deals for October 12, 2026.
What to do this Monday in Paris and the Île-de-France region? Discover one-off outings, today’s events, last-minute deals, and must-see ideas for Monday, October 12, 2026. [Read more]