In this article:
Spotlight on contemporary artists, retrospectives of great masters of painting, a dive into history, visual and immersive art... the autumn season offers a rich programme of beautiful discoveries. Here's a quick overview of the must-see exhibitions not to be missed from September to November 2026 in Paris.
To help you plan your cultural outings for the season, here’s a brief overview of the major retrospectives and events not to be missed in Paris this autumn:
| Exhibition | Venue / Museum | Event dates | Theme / Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auguste Bartholdi and Mary Cassatt | Musée d’Orsay | 15 Sept. 2026 and 6 Oct. 2026 - 31 Jan. 2027 | Sculpture and Impressionism |
| Eva Gonzalès | Petit Palais | 15 Sept. 2026 - 24 Jan. 2027 | 19th-century painting |
| Cézanne and Us | Grand Palais | 23 Sept. 2026 - 17 Jan. 2027 | Modern art |
| Andy Warhol: Line and Image | Musée du Luxembourg | 16 September 2026 - 27 January 2027 | Pop art and drawing |
| Claude Monet Centenary | Marmottan Monet Museum / Orangerie | September 2026 - January 2027 | Impressionism |
| Zurbarán and Sculpting Colour | Louvre Museum | 7 Oct. 2026 and 4 Oct. 2026 - 25 Jan. 2027 | Spanish Golden Age |
| The Eternal Tintoretto | Jacquemart-André Museum | 11 September 2026 - 24 January 2027 | Italian Renaissance |
| Remember Me | Bourse du Commerce | From 7 October 2026 | Contemporary photography |
| Gustave Fayet | Fondation Louis Vuitton | 9 Oct 2026 - 8 March 2027 | Modern Art and the Collection |
| Kerry James Marshall | Museum of Modern Art | 18 Sept. 2026 - 24 Jan. 2027 | Contemporary Art |
| Asian Arts and World Cultures | Guimet Museum / Quai Branly | From September 2026 to early 2027 | International exhibitions |
The Musée d’Orsay has a wonderful surprise in store for its visitors with a magnificent exhibition dedicated to Auguste Bartholdi and his ‘Liberty Enlightening the World’, to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, running from 15 September 2026 to 31 January 2027. The venue invites visitors to trace the journey of the Alsatian sculptor and his most iconic creation: the Statue of Liberty. An immersive virtual reality experience rounds off the visit. At the same time, from 6 October 2026 to 31 January 2027, the former railway station-now converted into a cultural venue-will be showcasing the work of Mary Cassatt, The Independent. Nearly 80 paintings, pastels and prints, spanning the entire career of this eminent member of the Impressionist movement, are on display.
The Petit Palais is also showcasing a talented, free-spirited woman from 15 September 2026 with its retrospective Eva Gonzalès - The Journey of a Free Artist.
Grand Palais is staging a major exhibition this autumn: Cézanne and Us from 23 September 2026 to 17 January 2027. One of the founding fathers of modern art has had a profound influence on art since the late 19th century. And this is what the exhibition highlights by presenting nearly 180 works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Paul Gauguin, Piet Mondrian, Joan Mitchell and Bridget Riley, who have drawn inspiration from, reinterpreted or built upon his work. In a very different vein, the venue will welcome rap icon Oli from 2 December 2026 for an unusual immersive exhibition exploring the creative process.
This season, the Musée du Luxembourg is showcasing a little-known facet of the master of Pop Art: his talents as a draughtsman in the retrospective Andy Warhol: Line and Image, running from 16 September to 27 January 2027. More than 150 drawings, paintings, silkscreen prints on paper, photographs and archival documents are on display, ranging from his first self-portrait, created in 1942, to his drawings relating to The Last Supper in 1986. An original perspective that promises to draw huge crowds.
Until 2027, numerous exhibitions and themed tours dedicated to Claude Monet are being organised in major museums across Paris and the Île-de-France region to celebrate the centenary of his death. For example, the Marmottan Monet Museum is presenting two different perspectives on his work: From Monet to Hockney (1893-2026) and Monet / Soriano from 24 September 2026 to 31 January 2027. The Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris brings together nearly forty of the master’s paintings in its exhibition Monet, Painting Time and is also offering an immersive virtual reality experience entitled Monet – Along the Water’s Edge. The Maison Caillebotte in Yerres (91), for its part, places Monet’s The Water Lily Pond, on loan from the Marmottan Museum, into context alongside the perspectives of ten contemporary artists on the theme of landscape in its major exhibition Nature Is Not a Setting until 18 October 2026.
The Louvre Museum, meanwhile, is putting Spanish art in the spotlight with two major exhibitions, running from 7 October 2026 to 25 January 2027: a major retrospective dedicated to the master of the Spanish Golden Age, Zurbarán and an exhibition entitled Sculpting Colour, which presents masterpieces from the National Sculpture Museum in Valladolid in dialogue with the works of the Spanish master.
The Jacquemart-André Museum treats us to a sublime retrospective of the immense genius of Italian painting, Jacopo Robusti, known as Tintoretto, from 11 September 2026 to 24 January 2027. Around forty paintings and graphic works, brought together in a themed exhibition, offer a magnificent insight into the work of this master of the Italian Renaissance.
La Bourse du Commerce is thinking (very) big for the start of the new season with its group exhibition Remember Me, running from 7 October 2026 to mark the bicentenary of the invention of photography. In total, more than 700 works by over 70 artists will be on display. Combining both historical and artistic interests, the exhibition features major sections dedicated to Irving Penn and Raymond Depardon, as well as thematic sections exploring the gaze, the sea, the body and even the materiality of the image, highlighting the full diversity of photographic practices.
In autumn 2026, the major Parisian museums will unveil exhibitions that are as ambitious as they are eclectic. The Musée Bourdelle focuses on the artist’s attire in its exhibition The Artist’s Fabric. From Rosa Bonheur to Sonia Delaunay, running from 23 September 2026 to 24 January 2027. Studio smocks, workwear, ceremonial attire and avant-garde creations… the focus is on how clothing helped shape the image and identity of artists from the late 19th to the mid-20th century.
The Louis Vuitton Foundation presents Gustave Fayet. Collector - Creator. Icons of Modern Art, from 9 October 2026 to 8 March 2027. In this rich and varied two-part exhibition, some 250 works from the artist’s personal collection (Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Odilon Redon, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Berthe Morisot, Paul Signac, Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard and Henri Matisse…) and 325 of his own works are on display! It’s a real feast for the eyes.
The American artist Kerry James Marshall is set to have his first major exhibition at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris from 18 September 2026 to 24 January 2027, with over 70 of his works on display to the public, some of them being shown in France for the very first time.
At the Guimet Museum, the Korean trompe-l’œil art movement takes centre stage in the exhibition ‘The Art of Trompe-l’œil: Korea, 18th–20th Centuries, running from 16 September 2026 to 4 January 2027, as part of the France-Korea Year.
The Quai Branly Museum - which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026 - is continuing to celebrate the arts of Africa and Oceania, looking back at the decade 1913-1923, a period that saw ethnographic objects become more widely accessible thanks to art dealers and artists. These are also the final days of the exhibition Plume du Paradis (until 8 November 2026), which traces the history and influence of this much-admired exotic bird.
Later this autumn, the museum will open three new exhibitions: one on the First Nations of the American Northwest (from Monday 28 September 2026 to Saturday 16 January 2027), See Tahiti, an exhibition showcasing the very first photographs of French Polynesia dating from 1859-1870 (from Tuesday 29 September 2026 to Sunday 31 January 2027) and Silent Violence. Through the Eyes of Roméo Mivekann, a critical and artistic analysis of colonial exhibitions (from Tuesday 10 November 2026 to Saturday 4 April 2027).
Fashion is not to be outdone, with a retrospective dedicated to Gianni Versace at the Maillol Museum, running from 5 June to 31 October 2026. 450 remarkable pieces are on display: original designs and silhouettes, accessories, sketches, decorative objects, photographs and even rare videos and interviews… A colourful journey of discovery!
The Musée des Arts Décoratifs, which has been home to the Musée des Arts de la Mode for 40 years, is celebrating this anniversary by exhibiting 40 iconic outfits that have shaped the history of haute couture in its main gallery. Entitled Look! 40 Years of Fashion at the Museum, the exhibition showcases the excellence, craftsmanship and talent of the art of fashion. On display from 30 September to 4 April 2027. In the galleries, the colourful and original world of fashion photographer Rafael Pavarotti takes centre stage from 2 October to 2 May 2027. Please note that, until 1 November 2026, you can still marvel at the royal wardrobes and traditional Thai costumes designed by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, on display as part of the exhibition Fashion in Majesty: Haute Couture and Tradition at the Thai Court.
This autumn, the Palais Galliera offers a unique perspective on women’s fashion with the exhibition A Wardrobe of One’s Own: Dissident Femininities in the 19th Century. From 26 September 2026 to 14 February 2027, the museum explores how women in the 19th century appropriated the codes of men’s fashion as a tool for social, sporting and political emancipation, through more than 500 exhibits.
Equally surprising: the Tour Jean Sans Peur is also dedicating its exhibition to fashion - but that of the Middle Ages, of course! The evolution of the silhouette, the importance of accessories (headdresses, shoes…), social norms… A subject that takes you on a journey through time!
Meanwhile, the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation is presenting the exhibition Azzedine Alaïa and Africa: an immersive journey into the African inspirations of the famous Tunisian fashion designer, running from 7 July 2026 to 4 January 2027.
Architecture takes centre stage this season, but it engages with other realms. The Cité de l’architecture & du patrimoine is dedicating its autumn exhibition to François Morellet from 16 October 2026 to 3 January 2027. This visual artist, painter, printmaker and sculptor – a leading figure in geometric abstraction - has been creating monumental works for over 50 years that transform architectural heritage. At the same time, the exhibition Heritage in Resistance: From Timbuktu to Odessa, running until 3 January 2027, explores how to build a future following the destruction of cultural and natural heritage. At the Maison Victor Hugo, the exhibition Hugo and Architecture, running until 22 November 2026, highlights the central role of architecture in the literary and artistic output of the author of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.
The exhibition The Secrets of the Nasrid Alhambra, a major exhibition at the Arab World Institute from 24 November 2026 to 16 May 2027, offers a sensory immersion into the artistic and architectural world of one of the most iconic monuments of Islamic art: the Alhambra in Granada, Andalusia. Beauty, symbolism, architecture and little-known history will take centre stage.
Literature is being celebrated this autumn with the exhibition Georges Perec, Modes d’emploi at the BnF - François-Mitterrand site, from 13 October 2026 to 14 February 2027, which invites us to discover more about the unique and unconventional work of this major figure in 20th-century French literature and iconic member of the Oulipo, through 300 items (manuscripts, photographs, paintings, drawings and objects held at the Bibliothèque nationale de France…).
For a musical immersion, head to the Philharmonie de Paris, which always has some wonderful musical retrospectives in store for us. Until 1 November 2026, Video Games & Music. The Music Where You Are the Hero traces, in a playful and immersive way, half a century of video game music history, from the earliest 8-bit sounds to grand symphonic soundtracks, via the legendary tunes that have become part of our collective culture. From 22 September 2026 until 25 April 2027, the venue will host Hassan Hajjaj + Acid Arab. My Rock Stars, an exhibition that brings together the colourful portraits of the Franco-Moroccan photographer with an original sound installation by the electro group Acid Arab.
Finally, for film lovers, there’s plenty to enjoy with the major exhibition Belmondo, le Magnifique, running from 7 October 2026 to 31 January 2027 at the Cinémathèque française. This season, the National Museum of the History of Immigration is also exploring cinema, but from the perspective of the influence of North African immigration on French cinema, from 30 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, with the exhibition A History of French Cinema – North African Legacies.
The Hôtel de la Marine is hosting an exhibition throughout the end of the year - until 10 January 2027 - Animalia. Bestiary from the Al Thani Collection. This themed exhibition explores the role of the animal kingdom in the history of art and civilisations through more than 120 artefacts - sculptures, jewellery, precious objects, paintings, drawings and archaeological finds - brought together by the Al Thani Collection.
The Arab World Institute traces The Great Adventure of Medical Knowledge from 13 October 2026 to 10 January 2027. From antiquity to the modern era, the museum offers an in-depth look at the transmission of medical knowledge. From 29 September 2026 to 31 January 2027, the museum is also exploring the ritual of marriage in the Maghreb through costumes, jewellery and contemporary creations in its exhibition Weddings - Farah.
This autumn 2026, Paris has an abundance of outings for kids and adults. With cultural events, live productions, **art installations ** and all kinds of special events and activities, a packed schedule of events promises unique moments for the whole family.
Until 31 October 2026, the floating barge Fluctuart is hosting an open-air exhibition by the artist Olivia de Bona, set up on the quay terrace, centred on the theme of the Bacchantes, those mythological figures of celebration and nature.
Photography is also taking centre stage this autumn! First, head to the Musée de l’Homme for an original exhibition that explores our relationship with time: Les grands âges, running until 3 January 2027. This exhibition combines the perspective of Nikos Aliagas, a photographer, with the scientific insights of Samuel Pavard, a researcher. An interesting reflection on old age.
Until 4 October 2026, the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation takes visitors on a journey to Japan with Daido Moriyama, Love Letters to Photography. Sixty prints, accompanied by documents and publications by the Tokyo-based photographer, depict daily life in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Explore the work of the multi-faceted artist Stan Douglas in the exhibition Parallax, at Le Jeu de Paume from 20 October 2026 to 10 January 2027.
In the 11th arrondissement, the Atelier des Lumières invites you to journey into the poetic world of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry through 360° projections, spatialised sound and a unique sensory experience, until 30 August 2026. Alternately, visitors can also explore the Renaissance exhibition, which brings to life paintings by masters such as da Vinci, Raphael and Michelangelo… until 13 September 2026. It also marks the grand return of the Van Gogh / Dream of Japan experience, running until 11 September 2026.
Over in La Défense, beneath the Grande Arche, you have until mid-September 2026 to explore the exhibition The Forbidden City at the Cité de l’Histoire.
A wide range of exhibitions is dedicated to both well-known and lesser-known aspects of history.
Those with a passion for the history of Paris will be spoilt for choice this autumn. To find out more, the Carnavalet Museum is the place to go. The museum explores the capital’s visual memory with Paris à l’arraché. Jacques Villeglé and urban art - an immersion in a Paris undergoing urban and social change, told through posters - from 14 October 2026 to 14 February 2027.
At the Musée de Cluny, Nicolas Flamel, Paper Alchemist unravels the historical reality behind the legend of the famous scientist and patron, from 13 October 2026 to 24 January 2027.
Finally, the Panthéon pays tribute to one of France’s greatest historians with Marc Bloch, the Spirit of History, an exhibition tracing the intellectual journey and commitment of this Resistance fighter, running until 10 January 2027.
The MAC/VAL (Val-de-Marne Museum of Contemporary Art) in Vitry-sur-Seine is giving artist SMITH carte blanche for his installation Ici grand ouvert. At the crossroads of art, science and perception, the exhibition - which combines installations, images and immersive experiences - explores the links between the body, the environment and the invisible life forms that surround us. Until 31 January 2027.
The châteaux organise some wonderful exhibitions every season. This autumn, Fontainebleau Castle is presenting Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI at Fontainebleau. Splendour and the Good Life, from 11 October 2026 to 25 January 2027. 120 works - including portraits, sculptures and objets d’art - are on display for the occasion in the state rooms and boudoirs, offering an insight into the royal couple’s daily life at this prestigious holiday retreat. Marie-Antoinette is also in the spotlight at the Palace of Versailles, at the Petit Trianon, in a brand-new exhibition centred on Sofia Coppola’s film Marie-Antoinette, opening on 22 September 2026. Meanwhile, the Château de Chantilly is organising an exhibition dedicated to the passion of the animal painter Rosa Bonheur for horses.
A new venue in Greater Paris! Large - situated on Île Seguin, a stone’s throw from the Seine Musicale - presents its inaugural exhibition: Moteur Imaginaire, from 17 October 2026 (until 7 March 2027).
