Spotlight on: the European Night of Museums

The European Night of Museums offers the opportunity to discover museums at night.

The European Night of Museums, which has been organized since 2005 by the Ministry of Culture and Communication, offers the opportunity to discover museums at night.

Children and grown-ups all have the privilege of admiring  the abundance of cultural wealth and unsuspected facets of museums of art, history, popular traditions, science ... in a festive and friendly atmosphere.

This 18th edition, which will take place on 24 May 2022 in France and in 30 other European countries, invites the public to visit the permanent collections and temporary exhibitions but also to discover museums in another way via numerous special events and activities: guided tours, workshops, concerts, films, readings, sound or visual installations, etc.

European Night of Museums 2022 : our pick

Many Parisian museums are taking part in the event. Here is our top 10 of exceptional and free visits to take advantage of on the occasion of this 18th European Museums Night.

Musée de la musique

Concert at the museum

Come along and discover the hardingfele, the nyckelharpa and the didgeridoo revisited with electro sound … For this 18th edition of the European Night of Museums, these unusual instruments reveal all their secrets at the Cité de la Musique. And if you want to explore further, you can also visit the Museum of Music.

Musée de la musique - Nuit Amazônia - 221 avenue Jean-Jaurès, Paris 19th> Saturday 24 May 2022, from 6pm to 10pm.

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Musée national Picasso-Paris

Exceptional evening

The Musée National Picasso-Paris proposes an exceptional and free evening focusing on two exhibitions: ‘Maya Ruiz-Picasso, Daughter of Pablo’ and ‘Picture Picasso’.

Musée Picasso – 5 rue de Thorigny, Paris 3th> Saturday 24 May 2022, from 6pm to 12.30am

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Fondation Jérôme Seydoux – Pathé

Cinema in the spotlight

The Fondation Jérôme Seydoux is celebrating cinema on the occasion of the 18th edition of the European Night of Museums with the exhibition Cinéma en campagne (‘Cinema in the countryside’) as well as a screening of the silent film La Roue (in English ‘The Wheel’) (1923) by Abel Gance, with musical accompaniment.

Fondation Jérôme Seydoux – Pathé – 73 avenue des Gobelins, Paris 13th > Saturday 24 May 2022, from 5pm to midnight

Institut du monde arabe

Numerous activities at the IMA

A whole range of activities await visitors at the Institut du Monde Arabe: reading of 3 poems with Kamel Yahiaoui, a guided visit on the subject of Algeria in the collections of the museum, and the opportunity to discover the exhibition "Algérie mon amour, Artistes de la fraternité Algérienne 1953-2021" (‘Algeria my love, Artists of the Algerian fraternity’1953-2021); the Café Littéraire’ will stay open until 11pm along with the library with admission throughout the evening to the exhibition ‘Son oeil dans ma main, Algérie 1969 – 2019’ (an exhibition on Algeria in 1961 and in 2019, through the eyes of a photographer and journalist).

Institut du Monde arabe, 1 rue des Fossés Saint-Bernard, Paris 5th> Saturday 24 May 2022, from 7pm to midnight

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Musée Guimet

Immersion into the milieu of Asian arts

On the occasion of the Night of Museums, discover the exhibitions at the Musée des Arts Asiatiques during a unique late-night opening date. The programme includes the musical story for children and families ‘Seiji, l'apprenti samouraï’ (‘Seiji, the apprentice samourai’), a reading and anecdotes ‘Rire et sourire en Asie’ (‘smiling and laughing in Asia’), discovery of the work of Chiharu Shiota, the exhibition the ‘Arc et le sabre, imaginaire guerrier du Japon’ (‘The bow and the sword. Japan’s samurai warriors’), as well as the permanent collection that has extended opening hours for this event.

Musée national des arts asiatiques – Guimet, 6 place d’Iéna, Paris 16th> Saturday 24 May 2022, from 4.30pm to 11.30 pm

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Musée de la Monnaie de Paris

An evening full of surprises

La Monnaie de Paris does things in a big way and... for free! The workshop ‘Crée ta monnaie d'ailleurs’ is an opportunity to also have a peek at the exhibition and make your own money, to see the exhibition ‘Contes d'ici et d'ailleurs’ (‘Tales from here and elsewhere’) and ‘Monnaies et merveilles’ (‘Coins and wonders’), to explore the architecture of this magnificent building by torchlight, to watch a demonstration of engraving, or to visit the museum at your leisure. Quite a programme!

Monnaie de Paris - 11 quai de Conti, Paris 6> Saturday 24 May 2022, from 6pm to midnight

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Musée d’Art moderne de Paris

Tours, events and performances

For an evening to remember, the Musée d’Art Moderne invites the public to attend a screening of El Cochecito, by Marco Ferreri, Mad Max by George Miller, a guided tour of the exhibition ‘Toyen, l'écart absolu’ (‘Toyen, the absolute gap’) and Anita Molinero, ‘Extrudia’.

Musée d’Art moderne de Paris, 11 avenue du Président Wilson, Paris 16e> Saturday 24 May 2022, from 6pm to 11.45pm

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Musée des Arts et Métiers

CNAM's masterpieces

The 18th Night of Museums is the opportunity to discover or rediscover the splendid collections of the Musée des Arts et Métiers. The Museum – which houses masterpieces such as the automaton La Joueuse de tympanon (The Dulcimer Player) and the Blériot XI aeroplane from 1909 – will be open until 11pm, as well as the Café des techniques for a little break! Discover the telegraph by Chappe, the phonograph, Lavoisier’s laboratory, make a thaumatrope, discover the pianola, Cugnot’s steam dray, Ader’s plane, and of course, Foucault’s pendulum. Explore the permanent collections with the app Mission Inventions and see the museum’s magnificent church.

Musée des Arts et Métiers - 60 rue Réaumur, Paris 3> Saturday 24 May 2022, until 11pm

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La Cinémathèque Française

An evening under the sign of cinema and Romy Schneider

In addition to free access to the Romy Schneider exhibition, the Cinémathèque Française is organizing a series of activities linked to this actress: the Austrian waltz as in Sissi ... The other nice surprise is that admission to the Méliès Museum is free.

La Cinémathèque Française- 51 rue de Bercy, Paris 12th> Saturday 22 May 2022, from 6pm to midnight

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Musée Carnavalet - Histoire de Paris

Discover the new Carnavalet Museum

The 18th Night of Museums invites visitors to discover the new spaces, the restored works and buildings and the exceptional collections of this museum located in the heart of the Marais, a stone's throw from the Place des Vosges, and to admire the comedy-ballet based on Molière - Jean Baptiste Poquelin.

Musée Carnavalet - Histoire de Paris - 23 rue de Sévigné, Paris 3rd> Saturday 24 May 2022, from 6pm to midnight.

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Parisian establishments taking part in the event

Les Arts Décoratifs (1er), Conciergerie (1e), Musée du Louvre (1er), Musée d’art et d’histoire du Judaïsme (3e), Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature (3e), Musée des Arts et Métiers (3e), Musée National Picasso (3e), Centre Culturel Suisse (3e), Institut du Monde Arabe (5e), Musée de la Préfecture de Police (5e), Musée Curie (5e), Musée du Service de Santé des Armées (5e), Grande Galerie de l’Evolution (5e), Ecole Mines Paristech – Musée de minéralogie (6e), Musée Zadkine (6e), Monnaie de Paris (6e), Beaux-Arts de Paris – Palais des Beaux-Arts (6e), Centre Culturel Canadien (7e), Musée de l’Armée (7e), Musée des Plans Reliefs (7e), Musée de la Légion d’Honneur et des Ordres de Chevalerie (7e), Petit Palais – Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris (8e), Grand Palais (8e), Musée Nissim Camondo – Musée des Arts Décoratifs (8e), Musée Gustave Moreau (9e), Musée de la franc-maçonnerie (9e), Cinémathèque Française – Musée du Cinéma (12e), Musée des Arts asiatiques Guimet (16e), Musée Yves Saint Laurent (16e), Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine (16e), Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris (16e), Musée National Jean-Jacques Henner (17e), Institut des Cultures d’Islam (18e), Universcience – Cité des Sciences et de l'industrie (19e), Musée de la Musique – Philharmonie 2 (19e)… et bien d’autres institutions en Ile-de-France, comme le Château de Fontainebleau (77), Musée de la toile de Jouy (78), Musée Paul Landowski (92), Sèvres – Cité de la Céramique (92), Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace (93) le MAC/VAL – Musée d’Art Contemporain du Val-de-Marne (94)…

Practical information

The European Night of Museums

24 May 2022

Full programme on nuitdesmusees.culture.gouv.fr/