A public holiday is always the perfect time to treat yourself and take advantage of what's on offer in Paris. And this November is off to a great start, as the first day is a public holiday! After dancing the night away in the midst of vampires, zombies and candy, we're taking advantage of this non-working day to relax and lose ourselves in the midst of paintings and sculptures.
But how can you admire all these works of art on a public holiday? Believe it or not, many museums and monuments remain open during All Saints' Day, ready to welcome all visitors thirsty for art and beauty.
To make the most of this Sunday, November 1, 2026, the editors at Sortiraparis.com bring you a curated selection of the best exhibitions on offer in the museums and a list of monuments open in Paris. A perfect way to entertain yourself and broaden your horizons during the Toussaint holiday.
By the way, do you know why November 1 is a public holiday in France?
Why is November 1st a public holiday? The history and origins of All Saints' Day
As in many other countries, November 1st is a public holiday in France. But do you know why All Saints' Day is not celebrated? And do you know the history and origins of this holiday? We tell you. [Read more]
Since so many museums and monuments are open on that day, we've put together a list of places that are closed on November 1. Here are the museums and monuments you shouldn't visit on All Saints' Day, or you'll find yourself facing a closed door.
So there's still plenty to do! To help you choose, here is a selection ofexhibitions to see this November 1:
2026 All Saints’ school holidays at the Cité de l’Économie: games, workshops and Halloween with the family in Paris
Sponsored - From October 17 to November 1, 2026, the Cité de l'Économie in Paris’s 17th arrondissement offers games, workshops, immersive tours and Halloween activities for families with children aged 6 and up. [Read more]
Dive into Planète Océan, the immersive exhibition by Atelier des Lumières.
L'Atelier des Lumières invites us on a voyage into the marine world with the immersive exhibition Planète Océan. Dive into the ocean depths starting October 16, 2026. [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]
Contemporary art takes over the Cité de l'architecture: four exhibitions to discover at the Trocadéro
Sponsored - From October 16, 2026 to January 3, 2027, the Cité de l'architecture in Paris hosts four exhibitions spanning contemporary art, sculpture, and sustainable architecture. [Read more]
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 Harvest Season: Ibrahim Mahama and Ghanaian artists transform the Cartier Foundation
The Cartier Foundation welcomes artist Ibrahim Mahama and his Ghanaian collaborators for a major multidisciplinary exhibition, on view from 22 October 2026 to 28 February 2027. [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]
Art Basel 2026: Monumental statues on the Parvis des Droits de l'Homme in Paris
The forecourt of the Rights of Man, at Trocadéro Square, hosts works by artist Tracey Emin as part of Art Basel's off-site exhibition program in Paris. Free to view from October 14 to November 1, 2026. [Read more]
Parallax: Stan Douglas, the artist at the heart of a retrospective exhibition at the Jeu de Paume, our photos
Photography as a way to tell stories and shape reality... Explore Stan Douglas’s work in the Parallax exhibition, a must-see at the Jeu de Paume from October 20, 2026, to January 10, 2027. [Read more]
Valérie John at the Palais de Tokyo — Indigo, memory and textiles between Martinique and Senegal
At the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, indigo blue tells stories of materials and territories. The exhibition “I telman nwè ki i blé” by Valérie John brings together paper, fabrics, and installations to forge links between Martinique and Senegal, from October 21, 2026 to February 14, 2027. [Read more]
Nuits de Lumière 2026: a spectacular digital-art festival at the heart of the Château de Vincennes
A festival of luminous and digital installations lands on the doorstep of Paris this fall with the second edition of Vincennes, Nuits de Lumière. From October 15 to November 8, 2026, this nocturnal event invites visitors to wander among immersive and interactive artworks, accompanied by monumental projections! [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]
Le Large on Île Seguin: discover the Moteur Imaginaire exhibition
Le Large, the new contemporary art center on Île Seguin in Boulogne-Billancourt, unveils Moteur Imaginaire through March 7, 2027, a show where the Renault collection intersects with today’s artists. We went to check it out and here’s everything you need to know. [Read more]
Ali Cherri at the Palais de Tokyo — Today is OK: cinema and sculptures exploring the vulnerability of soldiers
Que fait la guerre à ceux qui la mènent ? Ali Cherri explores the vulnerability of soldiers with “Today is OK,” his exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, running from October 21, 2026 to February 14, 2027. Sculpture and installations extend this reflection around his film “La Sentinelle,” featuring Nahuel Pérez Biscayart and Éric Cantona. [Read more]
Céleste Richard‑Zimmermann: at the Palais de Tokyo, broken columns to question the monuments
At the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, Céleste Richard-Zimmermann makes the symbols of authority wobble around a broken column. Her exhibition “Not all columns have a heart of stone” blends sculptures, paintings and sound works in a setting that evokes an abandoned quarry, from October 21, 2026 to January 10, 2027. [Read more]
Rose Lowder at the Palais de Tokyo — The Source of the Loire, nature filmed frame by frame
Rose Lowder plays with our perception of flowers, streams and landscapes through 16 mm cinema. The Palais de Tokyo in Paris presents her work on film in the exhibition "La Source de la Loire et autres films", from 21 October 2026 to 14 February 2027. [Read more]
Sonia Gomes — Wild Heart: Textile sculptures at the Palais de Tokyo
Sonia Gomes shapes memory by assembling fabrics, ropes, and found objects. At Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the Brazilian artist presents "Cœur sauvage," a sculpture-focused show dedicated to transmission and its Afro-Brazilian heritage, on view from October 21, 2026 to February 14, 2027. [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]
Musée Carnavalet, Paris's oldest museum dedicated to the capital's history
The Musée Carnavalet invites you to discover the history of the capital. Discover what awaits you in Paris' oldest museum, which has the advantage of being free... [Read more]
The Musée Jean-Jacques Henner: a workshop preserving the Alsatian painter's legacy in Paris
Little-known to Parisians, the Musée Jean-Jacques Henner is a veritable artistic treasure trove, bequeathed by the Alsatian painter's family in a private mansion as beautiful as the paintings it houses. [Read more]
Happy All Saints' Day!
Dates and Opening Time
On November 1, 2026
Why is November 1st a public holiday? The history and origins of All Saints' Day
