December can be a stressful month. Exams, annual reviews, the end of courses or goals to achieve, parties to organize... In all this whirlwind of activity, it's easy to lose your footing! So take a breath and stop. Give yourself a break, a moment out of time, and lose yourself in the region's museums.
Whether in Paris or the surrounding départements, in major museums, small galleries or châteaux, there's always an exhibition to please. It's impossible to remain indifferent to this wide-ranging program: there's something for everyone! Whether you like cinema, music, animals, painting, the mystical arts, history, sculpture, travel... There's a lid for every pot, and an exhibition for every visitor.
Heads up: December 2026 is shaping up to be a busy month, with a lineup of extraordinary exhibitions coming one after the other. You'll need to make some tough choices and skip a few outings — despite your burning curiosity, you won’t be able to see everything. Or will you?
All right, here's a challenge for you: check out our selection of exhibitions to see this December, and get ready for a museum marathon, so you have a chance of seeing them all! If your schedule is a little tighter, we recommend you start with the must-sees.
Amédée Couder, fabric designer: the exhibition behind the scenes of design at the Musée de la Toile de Jouy
The Toile de Jouy Museum pays tribute to 19th-century artist Amédée Couder, a pivotal textile designer. The exhibition runs from June 19, 2026 to January 10, 2027. [Read more]
Funny Heists: A Caricature and History Exhibition at the Air and Space Museum
Discover the history of airplanes and balloons through vintage cartoons in a fun and engaging exhibition at the Museum of Air and Space. Don’t miss "Hilarious Flights," running from June 27, 2026, to January 3, 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]
Le Paradox Museum Paris unveils five new immersive experiences alongside a Hans & Gretel Café
Paradox Museum offers nearly a hundred immersive experiences—from trompe-l'œil illusions and optical tricks to sensory overhauls—that await visitors in Paris. Get ready to be tricked and to snap surreal photos. Five new interactive installations have just been added to the journey, making it the perfect time to challenge your senses! And as a bonus, a brand-new, ultra-delicious café, Hans & Gretel, is ready to tempt you. [Read more]
Heritage in Resistance: From Timbuktu to Odessa, an Exhibition at the City of Architecture.
Sponsored - In Paris, the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine presents the exhibition Patrimoines en résistance : de Tombouctou à Odessa, running from May 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027, a look at heritage in wartime, where destruction, safeguarding, and rebuilding come into play. [Read more]
Frontier Exhibition at the Cité des sciences: Understanding borders around the world — our photos
The Frontière exhibition opens at the Cité des sciences et de l’industrie in Paris, offering an immersive journey about borders around the world, from April 14, 2026, to January 2, 2028. Designed for visitors aged 12 and up, it draws on ten concrete scenarios to explore the geographical, political, social, and artistic dimensions of lines that divide, of spaces people traverse, and of the tensions of our times. [Read more]
Artists at the Museum: A Special Anniversary Exhibition Celebrates 400 Years of the National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History in Paris is celebrating its 400th anniversary with a major exhibition, running from September 23, 2026, to March 7, 2027. Explore the Museum's artists across the centuries and discover the rich artistic heritage intertwined with its scientific legacy. [Read more]
Following in the footsteps of dinosaurs: an immersive exhibit at the Great Gallery of Evolution at the Museum
Step into the shoes of paleontologists and embark on a journey to explore the world of dinosaurs. This engaging and immersive educational exhibition will be on display from July 16, 2026, through January 2028. [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]
Back to school: educational museums to do with children in Paris
It's back to school for the kids. Would you like to accompany your little ones back to school in a fun way? If so, here's our selection of educational museums in Paris, where you can have fun learning lots of things, even with children! [Read more]
La Cité des Enfants, for discovering and understanding the world around us, ages 5 to 10
The Cité des enfants at the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie is the Parisian place par excellence for learning and experimentation. For 5-10 year-olds, children discover the world around them using their five senses. [Read more]
Transparence, the first exhibition of the new Palais des Enfants, at the Palais de la Découverte
It's a date we've all been waiting for: the Palais de la Découverte, which has been closed for renovation work for several years, will finally reopen its doors in 2025, with a brand new area dedicated to families, the Palais des enfants. An exhibition on the theme of Transparency is presented for the inauguration. [Read more]
A new exhibition space opens at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace (93)
From June 24, 2025, the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace will be offering an enriched tour, including a new exhibition space. [Read more]
The Hangar Y's contemporary open-air exhibition is back! An artistic stroll in the green
The Hangar Y, which conceals a 10-hectare natural area planted with trees, offers a year-round open-air art walk, free on weekdays and €3 with access to the Hangar on weekends. Since April 28, 2025, new works have been added to the circuit. From Erwin Wurm and Lionel Sabatte to Pauline Tralongo and Odile Decq, it's time for an unusual, unplugged stroll through the heart of the Hauts-de-Seine. [Read more]
Le Bouillon Kids, a fun, family-friendly cultural venue with games room, at Les Ateliers Gaîté
Right in the heart of the Ateliers Gaîtés, in the Montparnasse district, Bouillon Kids offers children the chance to discover a rather special exhibition space, with play areas included in the tour. [Read more]
La Cité de l'Histoire, our test of the immersive French History experience at La Défense
Ready to plunge into the great History of France? The first Cité de l'Histoire is opening its doors in La Défense's Grande Arche, with a fun, immersive tour of our shared past. [Read more]
Science Experiences, the concept between museum and theme park at Bercy Village
Science Expériences is a unique concept combining museum and amusement park to bring science to life for children. With scientific experiments, virtual reality and video mapping, it uses the latest technologies to bring science to life for children... [Read more]
The Petit Moulin des Vaux de Cernay is transformed into a cultural restaurant with terrace (78)
Alert friends, the famous little Moulin des Vaux de Cernay in the Vallée de Chevreuse in the Yvelines (78), is being revived and transformed into a cultural restaurant that combines a place to eat, have a drink and relax in the sun with a cultural gallery where you can enjoy ephemeral exhibitions in a place steeped in history. [Read more]
The Cité de l'Histoire: a fun way for families to discover history
Sponsored - Plunge into the heart of the most fascinating periods in human history with immersive shows and technological animations that will delight young and old alike. Relive the great moments of the past, meet the emblematic figures of French history and create unforgettable memories together! Three main animations await you, in a space entirely designed for family amazement, offering a journey through the most emotionally rich eras. [Read more]
Le Rambolitrain, model train museum in Rambouillet (78)
In Rambouillet, in the Yvelines department, Rambolitrain boasts a unique collection of toy trains, whether miniature or life-size. History, scale models and guided tours: welcome to the temple of the toy train! [Read more]
Maison Poincaré: we visited the very first mathematics museum in Paris
The Maison Poincaré, nestled in the heart of Paris's Latin Quarter, invites you to discover the capital's very first mathematics museum from September 30, 2023. Inspired by the world's greatest science museums, this unique venue promises to illuminate the history, influence and wonders of mathematics for all the curious! We tell you all about it! [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]
The Durfort Mammoth at the Paris Natural History Museum, restored!
(Re)discover at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, the newly restored "Mammouth de Durfort", an icon of paleontology on display since 1898. [Read more]
Bio-inspired, the new permanent exhibition at the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie
Look out, here it is: the new permanent exhibition that will fascinate us to no end. "Bio-inspired" takes up residence at the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie from September 18, 2020. A great introduction to talking about the environment and sustainable solutions with children and grown-ups alike. [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]
Eternal Tintoretto: the Italian master at the heart of a new exhibition at the Jacquemart-André Museum
Tintoretto, the master of Italian painting, is in the spotlight at the Jacquemart-André Museum in an unprecedented exhibition running from September 11, 2026 to January 24, 2027. [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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
A wardrobe of one’s own: the fashion exhibition on the 19th-century revolution of women’s dress at the Palais Galliera
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]
Medieval Fashion: an exhibition exploring medieval dress at the John the Fearless Tower
At the Tour Jean Sans Peur, medieval life unfolds in the exhibition "La mode au Moyen Âge," on view until March 7, 2027. As the last remaining relic of the Palais parisien des Ducs de Bourgogne, the venue provides a striking setting to explore medieval dress, from silhouettes and accessories to social codes, all enhanced by a rich program of activities and events tied to the exhibition. [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]
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]
Weddings - Farah: a Unique Cultural Exhibition at the Arab World Institute
The Arab World Institute is inviting us to a celebration— and not just any celebration. Immerse yourself in the world of Maghrebian weddings with an expansive, immersive exhibition opening from September 29, 2026, through January 31, 2027. [Read more]
Les derniers remparts, Carcassonne 1304: an immersive expedition at Bercy Village
Travel back in time and experience history differently with Les derniers remparts, Carcassonne 1304, a virtual reality experience from Excurio, in partnership with the Centre des Monuments nationaux. Available at Eclipso in Bercy Village from April 4, 2025. [Read more]
Le Corbusier in Boulogne: visit the apartment-studio of the famous French architect
The Fondation Le Corbusier offers unique tours of the famous French architect's apartment-studio, located in the Molitor building on the Boulogne-Paris border, to perpetuate the eternal influence of this visionary genius. [Read more]
The Paris Museum of Illusions—this spring’s must-see destination!
Sponsored - The Museum of Illusions, located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris within the Châtelet-Les Halles district, welcomes families and friends alike. Get ready for a one-of-a-kind, exciting adventure as you delve into the captivating world of illusions, where your senses will be completely challenged... And for the first time, the museum is launching enchanting evening sessions. [Read more]
Nicolas Flamel, the Paper Alchemist: Cluny Museum's Exhibition on the Fascinating Figure
Embark on a journey to meet a fascinating figure in history, where legend and reality intertwine... The Cluny Museum invites you to discover Nicolas Flamel in an exhibition running from October 13, 2026 to January 24, 2027. [Read more]
Tangerine Dreams at L'Aiguillage: Isabel Bertelot's Painting Exhibition at Les Frigos
Sponsored - Isabel Bertelot presents Tangerine Dreams at L’Aiguillage, at the Frigos, from May 29 to June 3, 2026, exploring pigment, matter and light. [Read more]
Animalia Exhibition: When Animals Inspire Artists Across the Centuries at the Hôtel de la Marine
The Al Thani Collection unveils some of its animal-inspired treasures, with a brand-new exhibition to be enjoyed from July 1, 2026 to January 10, 2027. Don’t miss Animalia at the Hôtel de la Marine. [Read more]
Musée Grévin in Paris: Luc Plamondon joins the collection of illustrious figures
Discover Luc Plamondon, the iconic lyricist, now immortalized in wax at the Musée Grévin to mark the 25th anniversary of Notre Dame de Paris. [Read more]
Not-to-be-missed art events in Paris over the next few days
Night tours, photo festivals, Heritage Days, street-art events... Whatever the season, art is always in the spotlight in Paris! To make sure you don't miss any of these major cultural events, follow our guide to Parisian art events. [Read more]
Galerie Kiff & Marais: A showroom and exhibition space
Sponsored - Join us at the Kiff & Marais Gallery: a hub for exhibitions, events, workshops, and live music. A gallery in the heart of the Marais where a variety of events and group exhibitions are hosted in the 3rd arrondissement! Every Thursday evening, come to the openings at the Kiff & Marais Gallery. From May 27 to 31, discover Art Brut, an exhibition that blends painting, drawing, collage, and sculpture at the Kiff & Marais Gallery. [Read more]
Louvre Museum: a free late-night experience on Friday, June 5, 2026 — the first Friday of the month.
Here's the monthly tip you can count on: the Louvre opens its doors to everyone for free on the first Friday of every month after 6 p.m. Next date to note: June 5, 2026. [Read more]
Free exhibitions to visit in December 2026: top picks in Paris and Île-de-France
Looking for an impressive free exhibition to check out in December 2026? You've come to the right place (or clicked the right link): here’s our curated list of must-see free exhibitions happening in Paris this month. Follow along! [Read more]
Have a wonderful December in Paris museums, and see you next year for new exhibitions!
Dates and Opening Time
From December 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025
Free exhibitions to visit in December 2026: top picks in Paris and Île-de-France
