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Family outings in Paris this autumn 2025

Clémentine Santerre et la Rédaction Paris je t'aime - Updated on
Shows, exhibitions, special events, circuses... There are plenty of things to do with the whole family in Paris this autumn!

From outdoor activities to cultural discoveries and unusual and immersive experiences, keep your curiosity alive this back-to-school season and embark on some memorable family outings!

BOOK YOUR FAMILY OUTING IN PARIS

🎯Cultural exhibitions for the whole family in Paris in autumn 2025

To get your fill of culture this autumn, head to the museums to admire their permanent collections or pick your favourite themed exhibitions from among the temporary ones. The Quai Branly Museum is focusing on dragons this season, from 18 November 2025 to 1 March 2026. Legends, myths, stories... This creature, which dates back more than 5,000 years, will hold no more secrets for you!

At the Musée Guimet, manga culture is being celebrated from 19 November 2025 to 9 March 2026 with the exhibition Manga. What an art form! With a three-part tour, you will be immersed in all aspects of Japanese comics.

The Musée en Herbe is a children's favourite, and it's easy to see why: it's specially dedicated to them and showcases art in a playful way. This season, it invites little ones to discover the abyssal and digital world of Miguel Chevalier, a pioneer of digital art, until 6 January 2026. Interactive projections, treasure hunts... A unique immersion in a world apart!

This season, l'Atelier des Lumières is offering an immersive digital journey through space with its new creation Destination Lune, un voyage immersif avec Tom Hanks (Destination Moon, an immersive journey with Tom Hanks), starting on 24 September 2025. Embark on a mission to conquer the Moon!

Do your children love street art? Take them to the artistic barge Fluctuart from 11 September to 21 December 2025, which is hosting the exhibition Carte blanche by John Andrew Perello, alias JonOne.

Reopened in June 2025 after extensive renovation work, the Palais de la Découverte, located in a wing of the Grande Palais, has inaugurated a new space dedicated to families, the Palais des enfants, which offers a fascinating and fun exhibition on the theme of Transparency, open until August 2027!

To keep everyone happy, there's nothing like a family outing to the Musée de l'Illusion, the Paradox Museum Paris, the Musée des Arts Forains (only open during school holidays), the Musée du Chocolat, the Aquarium de Paris or the dedicated galleries of major museums such as the Studio du Louvre or the family area at the Musée de l'Orangerie, for example. There, they learn while having fun and enjoy going to places of culture!

🎯Science and history on the agenda for the autumn 2025 in Paris

17 September 2025 will be an exceptional day at the Hôtel Drouot, which is inviting young people to become ‘expert detectives’ for a free treasure hunt based on Guido Reni's recently rediscovered work David and Goliath. This creative immersion behind the scenes of the art market will awaken their sense of observation and artistic curiosity.

For budding scientists, the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie is a must! This season, it is organising the exhibition Dance, devoted to dance with a fun and educational trail until June 2026, and the exhibition Dogs and Cats (also until June 2026), where children can learn more about their pets! The Musée d'archéologie du Val d'Oise, in Guiry-en-Vexin, is revisiting the fascinating investigations of a literary legend for all ages in its new exhibition, on display until 28 December 2026: Agatha Christie, In Search of Archaeology.

Meanwhile, the National Museum of Natural History is transporting our little ones to the desert until 26 November 2025 with a fascinating exhibition in the Grande Galerie de l'Évolution and Ancient Egypt with its special exhibition Mummies from 19 November 2025 to 25 May 2026 at the Musée de l'Homme. This autumn, your children will be going back in time!

At Bercy Village, Science Expériences invites you to discover an 850 m² immersive play trail. Part museum, part amusement park, this unusual place offers a whole new perspective on science!

Children with a passion for history, the monarchy, architecture and gilding will love the History Gallery at the Château de Versailles, which tells the story of the creation of this iconic château, designed by Louis XIV, the Sun King!

Family outings in Paris in pictures

🎯Off-the-beaten-track exhibitions with children in Paris in autumn 2025

The Jardin des Plantes is one of Paris's cultural and natural treasures that never ceases to amaze. This autumn, the famous garden - home to the Museum national d'Histoire naturelle - is hosting a fifth season of Tropical Autumn, an exhibition of botanical drawings in its Grandes Serres from 16 October to 24 November 2025. An unmissable event at the start of winter, heralding the festive season, the Jardin des Plantes illuminations will take place this year from 12 November 2025 to 18 January 2026 and will have the theme Light on Nature.

For an original visit and for lovers of our four-legged friends, head to the Musée du Chien in Aubervilliers to discover the current exhibition. Last day: 1 September 2025!

Budding athletes and animal lovers have a date on 21 September 2025 for the Paris Zoo Run. In the still-sleeping zoo, young and old alike can take part in 5 or 10 km races, fun events for children or a charity walk. It's an original way to discover the zoo while supporting the preservation of the white rhino.

To discover Paris in a new light this autumn, try your hand at a treasure hunt or take part in one of the unusual tours offered by My Urban Experience. And if the weather isn't cooperating, take a panoramic bus tour through the streets of the city with Tootbus or Big Bus, on the Seine with Bateaux-Mouches® or les Bateaux Parisiens or by little train in the Montmartre district.

Not to be missed by Paris lovers: the immersive sound and light show Aura. The 50-minute experience takes place beneath the majestic Dôme de Invalides and tells the story of Paris.

Vaux-le-Vicomte, Versailles, Fontainebleau, Rambouillet... Set off this autumn to conquer the castles of the Île-de-France region for a day. Often surrounded by parks and forests, it's possible to combine a visit to the monument with a moment of relaxation and a stroll in the countryside. Fontainebleau, for example, offers dog-sleigh rides as winter approaches and the Château de Rambouillet - and its Bergerie Nationale - organises surprising tours for Halloween.

🎯The show must go on! Shows, circuses and amusement parks in Paris in autumn 2025

The back-to-school cultural programme includes many shows to enjoy with the whole family.

The shows Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Illusionniste at the Théâtre des Variétés from 5 October 2025 and Gus l'illusionniste, at the Folies Bergère from 23 to 28 December 2025 will undoubtedly leave you with magical memories! On the theatre front, you can take them to (re)discover Les Trois Mousquetaires at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal from 11 October 2025 or introduce them to cabaret with the show Mon Premier Cabaret, created by Kamel Ouali, which returns to the Paradis Latin from 18 October 2025.

The cultural season also sees the return of musicals to Parisian stages: once again on the bill at the Théâtre Mogador, the Lion King returns until January 2026. The musical adaptation of the cult animated film Madagascar is also back at the Théâtre du Gymnase from 18 October to 4 January 2026. And to discover some literary classics with a twist, head to the Théâtre 13e Art from 11 October to 21 December 2025 to see Les Aventures de Tom Sawyer (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) or to the Lucernaire from 10 September 2025 to 11 January 2026 for a musical adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist.

What would a cultural season be without a circus show? For example, the cirque Bormann is still performing its show Arbre, while the cirque d'Hiver Bouglione has put together its new show Tempo, running from 11 October 2025 to 8 March 2026! Finally, the Cirque d'hiver returns this winter with Alegría under the Grand Chapiteau de l'Île des Impressionnistes in Chatou from 20 November 2025 to 25 January 2026. High-flying creations!

A must-see and memorable family outing at any time of year, theme parks such as Disneyland® Paris and Parc Astérix are going Halloween time from early October. Thrills and spills guaranteed! As for the Jardin d'acclimatation, , it will switch to Korean time on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 September 2025 for a festival celebrating K culture: K-pop, K-drama, K-book, K-movie, K-tv, K-food, K-beauty, K-fashion, K-tech, K-gaming, and K-art before switching to Mexican time with its Dia de los Muertos festival from 4 October to 11 November 2025.

BOOK YOUR FAMILY OUTING IN PARIS

🔍 Looking for unusual fun family activities?

Opt for something different! Paris has tons of amazing places, fun experiences and unusual outings to enjoy with kids.

Escape games, a cruise on the Seine, street art or an offbeat tour… Find plenty of ideas to surprise all the family for your next outings.

👉 Discover 10 unusual activities for all the family in Paris

❓Frequently asked questions

How to entertain the kids in Paris during the weekend?

To keep little and big kids occupied, opt for a family show, an immersive visit, a fun exhibition or a theme park. There are plenty of exciting things to do in Paris with the family, even after the summer holidays.

Where to go and what to do in Paris with kids when it rains?

Interactive museums, aquariums, creative workshops, shows… Paris has plenty of indoor attractions ideal for a family outing when it’s raining.

Where to take the kids in the Paris region?

Outside Paris, trips to places such as Thoiry Zoological Park, the Palace of Versailles, or the Gally farms are ideal for kids.

Cultural attractions to enjoy with the kids in Paris?

Immersive exhibitions, fun museums like the Musée en Herbe, shows for young audiences or musicals: There are plenty of ideas for getting them to love culture from an early age.

Where to find ideas for family outings in Paris?

The Paris je t'aime website offers an up-to-date selection of activities, shows, events and places to discover with the family throughout the year.

What to do in Paris in autumn and winter, from September to December?

more ideas