The twentieth annual Nuit Européenne des Musées (European Museum Evening) takes place on Saturday, Could 18th, providing free night entry to museums throughout Paris and Europe. Some venues require reservations, whereas others provide open visits with potential lengthy wait instances. Listed here are Heather’s suggestions and suggestions for taking advantage of the night.
What to Anticipate on the twentieth Annual Nuit des Musées
The annual Nuit Européenne des Musées (typically simply known as Nuit des Musées) is sponsored by the French Ministry of Tradition, UNESCO, and the Council of Europe, with the purpose of creating museums extra accessible to those that won’t sometimes go to, notably households. Whereas many of the night’s occasions are tailor-made for this demographic, that doesn’t imply the remainder of us will miss out.
Greater than merely a free night, every taking part museum often holds varied particular occasions for the night — akin to live shows, actions for youths or adults, themed guided excursions, or demonstrations — along with open entry to the everlasting and short-term museum assortment. Due to this fact, it’s sensible to test what’s accessible earlier than making reservations or queuing for a very long time.
Don’t overlook! You’ll be able to go to these museums beneath calmer circumstances most days, albeit not at no cost. So weigh the advantages of ready in line for 2 hours simply to avoid wasting €15. The additional actions, live shows, and late-night opening hours are what make the occasion definitely worth the hassle, not simply the truth that they’re free. When you handle to squash in three or 5 museums, the financial savings do add up! However in case you’re there extra to see the collections in peace than to benefit from the atmosphere, don’t hassle your self.
Planning Forward for the Finest Expertise
Just like Heritage Days in September, some museums don’t require reservations and are open to all, however this might imply lengthy wait instances for the extra standard museums just like the Musée d’Orsay or the Orangerie. Different museums would possibly require you to guide one of many free timeslots on-line, which will be its personal headache since every museum has its personal reserving platform (and whereas some are already totally booked, others haven’t even opened reservations but). With lower than a month till the occasion, some museums are nonetheless including to their listing of occasions. It might be useful to test the web site a number of days earlier than to catch any new additions.
Utilizing the Web site
The official web site for Nuit Européenne des Musées, although supposed to be user-friendly with its interactive map and filters, is somewhat sluggish and clunky, particularly when utilizing the English auto-translate perform. Navigating the location in French is really helpful, if potential, however even then you definately’ll want loads of persistence every time the web page reloads.
Click on on “Programme” to view the map of France. Zoom into the world you’re curious about, and the map will routinely present solely the taking part museums in that space. For instance, specializing in the sixth arrondissement would possibly show solely 20 occasions, however zooming out to incorporate all of Paris and its suburbs would possibly present over 250 occasions.
You’ll be able to filter the occasions by sort of museum, whether or not they require a reservation, accessibility, and different choices by clicking “Filtrer” on the precise. When you’ve chosen your filters, click on on the blue “Fermer” tab on the backside proper and the listing of venues will present on the precise in a listing, and on the map. If a museum has 5 totally different occasions that night time, it should present as 5 totally different occasions on the listing on the precise. You often click on on the venue or the occasion that’s underlined, then are taken to the web page that has info, and if a reservation is required (“Sur Inscription”), an enormous blue “RESERVER” hyperlink going to the museum’s web site (solely when you’re there’ll you recognize if it’s already all booked). “Visite Libre” means you’ll be able to go to any time with no reservation.
When you don’t wish to take care of the official web site, I made a shortlist of those I assumed price contemplating, cut up into museums that supply open visits and museums that require reservations. I unnoticed any locations that solely had occasions and actions that require understanding French to concentrate on the Visite Libre venues. So in case you can perceive French, I like to recommend you’re taking a better have a look at the extra choices on the official web site.
Open Visits (No Reservation Wanted)
Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature (62 rue des Archives, third) – Open 7 pm – midnight. The Searching and Nature Museum is one in every of my favourite Paris museums, a really whimsical assortment in a historic Marais mansion (it’s extra in regards to the animals than the hunters, FYI). On the event of the Nuit des Musées, the museum presents “Ornithomix,” an immersive sound stroll of chicken track to create the ambiance of a tropical forest tied to the short-term exposition by artist Tamara Kostianovsky “The Flesh of the World.” There may probably be massive crowds right here.
Musée d’Artwork et d’Histoire du Judaïsme (71 rue du Temple, third) – Open 6-10pm. The Nuit des Musées is a chance to find or rediscover the Museum of Jewish Artwork and Historical past assortment in one other Marais historic mansion. Along with the everlasting assortment, displays open embrace photographer André Steiner “The Physique Between Surpassing and Need” on the primary ground, “The Baby Didi, the Journey of a Spoliated Work by Chana Orloff, 1921-2023,” on the second ground, the set up “Raphaël Denis. Rosenberg Funds, the Parisian Years,” and “New Arrivals: Charlotte Henschel, Sonia Steinsapir, and Georgette Meyer.” For the European Museum Evening, the courtyard may have a efficiency by Adrianna Wallis, “11 Little Saucers,” from 7-10pm.
Archives Nationales Hôtel de Soubise (60 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, third) – Open 2pm-midnight. The Nationwide Archives Museum, created in 1867, is housed within the Hôtel de Soubise, a former aristocratic mansion that incorporates elaborate 18th-century Rococo residences by architect Germain Boffrand, with work by the best French artists of the period of Louis XV – François Boucher, Carl van Bathroom, and Charles Natoire. The Nationwide Archives museum, devoted to archival paperwork in all their varieties, presents the facsimiles or originals on a rotating foundation in short-term displays, akin to the present “Sacrilege! The State, Religions, and the Sacred, from Antiquity to Our Days” presenting greater than 100 works and beforehand unseen archival paperwork illustrating the historical past of sacrilege and blasphemy in politics, from Socrates (399 BC) to Damiens’ assassination try in opposition to Louis XV (1757), to President Sarkozy’s “Casse-toi, pov’ con!” incident. There are guided excursions each hour of the newly restored rooms of the Chancellery of Orléans, reserve on-site half-hour prematurely. Anticipate average crowds right here.
Institut Suédois (11 rue Payenne third) – Open from midday to 9pm. Positioned within the coronary heart of the Marais, the “Hôtel de Marle,” named after its first proprietor within the Sixteenth century, has housed the Swedish Institute since 1971. Its facades, roofs, and grand staircase are listed as historic monuments. Don’t miss the French-painted ceilings. The everlasting artwork assortment options the Franco-Swedish creative relations from the Seventeenth to the twentieth century, that includes works by Gustaf Lundberg, Alexander Roslin, Adolf Ulrik Wertmüller, and Louis-Jean Desprez. You too can go to the Swedish Institute’s standard courtyard café throughout common hours.
Bibliothèque Polonaise de Paris – Musée Adam-Mickiewicz, Salon Chopin et Musée Boleslas-Biegas (6 quai d’Orléans, 4th) – The Polish Library of Paris, a serious heart of Polish emigration for the reason that mid-Nineteenth century and the most important cultural establishment representing Poland outdoors its borders, is situated on the Île Saint-Louis in a powerful Seventeenth-century constructing housing helpful books, archives, and a major artwork assortment. The library holds many relics of Adam Mickiewicz, the nice Nineteenth-century romantic poet, though most of you is likely to be extra conversant in the illustrious Polish composer, Frédéric Chopin. For the Nuit des Musées, the Copernic exhibition is open from 2-8pm; and there shall be Chopin live shows from 3-7pm.
Musée Curie (1 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, fifth) Open 5-11pm. The Curie Museum is situated on the bottom ground of the historic premises of the previous Curie laboratory of the Radium Institute and laboratory the place Marie Curie labored to find radium. Do you know Marie Curie gained the Nobel prize for Chemistry AND Physics? Right now it’s an necessary heart for most cancers analysis.
Ecole des Mines de Paris (60 boulevard Saint-Michel, sixth) Open 6pm-midnight. On the twond ground of this historic civil engineering faculty subsequent to Luxembourg Gardens is the completely underrated “Museum of Mineralogy”, presenting 5,000 minerals (together with items of the moon and Mars) in attractive picket instances. I visited throughout the 2022 Nuit des Musées and was fascinated how stunning every “rock” might be, virtually too colourful and peculiar to be pure!
Maison d’Auguste Comte (10 rue Monsieur-le-Prince, sixth) – Open 6-10pm. The final house of the French thinker Auguste Comte (1798-1857), situated at 10 rue Monsieur le Prince within the sixth arrondissement of Paris, the place he lived from 1841 till his loss of life in 1857. It is a little bit of an obscure museum, owned by a global affiliation devoted to Auguste Comte, however the house provides guests a glimpse into the thinker’s dwelling quarters as they had been in his lifetime—a time capsule full with unique furnishings and private belongings.
Monnaie de Paris (11 quai de Conti, sixth) – Open 7pm-midnight. The previous Paris mint overlooking the Seine nonetheless makes medals — together with this yr’s Olympic medals, on show throughout the Nuit des Musées. The museum highlights the metalsmiths’ savoir-faire by workshops, demonstrations, and academic movies. You’ll uncover the historical past of cash and minting strategies. Extra Information
Musée Zadkine (100 bis rue d’Assas, sixth) – The museum entrance doesn’t appear like a lot from the road, however when you comply with the hall you’ll enter a stunning backyard the place the Cubist sculptor Ossip Zadkine lived and labored from 1928 till his loss of life in 1967. It was one other nice shock for us throughout the 2022 Nuit des Musées. This yr’s there a live performance trio of harp, flute, and violin at 7:30pm, which you’ll get pleasure from whereas looking the everlasting assortment and short-term exhibition for the event of the Olympics, “The Physique in Play”.
Musée d’Histoire de la Médecine (12 rue de L’école de Médecine, sixth) – Open 6-11pm. Housed in a stunning Nineteenth-century setting throughout the Descartes Medical Faculty close to Odéon, the Museum of Medical Historical past is each creepy and interesting, price a go to (earlier than you eat in case you’re sqeamish). The present exhibition is “The Physician Going through Ache: Sixteenth-18th Centuries” detailing alternative ways docs handled ache.
Musée de la Légion d’Honneur et des Ordres de Chevalerie (2 rue de la Légion d’honneur, seventh) – Open 6pm-midnight. The Museum of the Legion of Honor and Orders of Chivalry proper subsequent to the Orsay Museum is likely one of the few museums on the planet specializing within the area of French and overseas decorations. You’ll see extra medals and different honorary decorations you ever thought potential. The setting itself is definitely worth the go to. If the form of the constructing seen from the Seine appears acquainted to American guests, it’s as a result of it was modelled after Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello (the statue of the previous Ambassador to France is true throughout the road).
Les Egouts de Paris (Esplanade Habib-Bourguiba seventh) – Open from 5-10pm. Utterly renovated and reopened in 2021, the Paris Sewers Museum consists of an attention-grabbing academic heart earlier than guests entry the precise tunnels. Really helpful particularly in case you’re within the noteworthy city engineering feats of Nineteenth-century Paris.
Europa Expertise (28 place de la Madeleine, eighth) – Open 6-10pm. Newly opened on the Place de la Madeleine (I’ve handed by a number of instances however haven’t ventured inside but), this museum-cum-information heart is a multimedia journey with immersive installations and a 360-degree cinema, explaining how the European Union capabilities and the way European residents can form its future (fairly well timed contemplating the EU elections are June eighth). Content material is on the market within the 24 official languages of the Union (Eire’s nonetheless a member, so that features English).
Musée de la Franc-Maçonnerie (16 rue Cadet, ninth) – Open 7pm-midnight. Created in 1889 (though at the moment the constructing is fashionable, virtually futuristic), the Museum of Freemasonry’s major purpose is to reply questions on this “secret” society by a presentation of the historical past of Freemasonry and the contribution of the lodges in varied fields: philosophical and political – from the unfold of the Enlightenment within the 18th century to the republican development within the Eighteen Eighties – but in addition non secular, literary, and creative. The museum additionally goals to elucidate the origin and nature of symbols and rites utilized in Masonic Temples, and what initiation into Freemasonry consists of.
Musée de la Libération de Paris – Musée du général Leclerc – Musée Jean Moulin (4 avenue du colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy 14th) – The everlasting assortment of the WWII Liberation of Paris Museum throughout the road from the Catacombes is at all times free, so the one distinction tonight is that it’s open from 10am-8pm, two hours later than regular. The short-term exhibition and underground command publish bunker will not be open for the occasion.
Musée Bourdelle (18 rue Antoine Bourdelle, fifteenth) – Open 6-11pm, together with the café. One other one in every of my favourite small museums for its backyard setting, the brand new short-term exhibit provides an immersion into the artwork and lifetime of the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle (1861-1929) presenting the private objects that impressed his sculptures. Contemplating the dimensions, it might get a bit crowded for the Nuit des Musées.
Musée Nationwide Jean-Jacques Henner (43 avenue de Villiers, Seventeenth) – Open 6-10pm. Positioned close to the Park Monceau, the mansion that now homes the museum devoted to the painter Jean-Jacques Henner (1829-1905) was initially the house and studio of Guillaume Dubufe (1853-1909). The constructing is exceptional for its decorations and architectural parts from varied eras and civilizations. The museum’s collections hint the artist’s journey from his native Alsace to Paris, the place he made his profession, together with his time on the Villa Medici after successful the Grand Prix de Rome in portray, presenting the trajectory of an artist thought-about probably the most necessary of his time originally of the twentieth century. The everlasting assortment is open at no cost visits, however you must reserve time slots to go to the short-term exhibitions.
Musée de la Musique – Cité de la Musique-Philharmonie de Paris at Parc de la Villette (221 avenue Jean-Jaurès, Nineteenth) – Open 7:30pm-midnight. The Music Museum on the very up to date Paris Philharmonic gathers a group of practically 9000 musical devices and artworks, 1000 of that are on show. The gathering spans the historical past of music from the late Sixteenth century to the current day and provides an perception into the foremost musical cultures of the world. Within the museum’s galleries are uncommon and strange devices such because the turtle guitar, the charango, the mouth organ, the octobass, and the electrical violin. Some devices belonged to personalities akin to Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, Django Reinhardt, Frank Zappa, or Pierre Henry. Keep away from chopping by the huge Parc de la Villette after darkish in case you’re by yourself.
Reservations Required (Timed Entrance Ticket)
Musée des Arts Décoratifs (107 rue de Rivoli, 1st) – Open 6-11pm. Positioned in one of many wings of the Louvre Museum, the Ornamental Arts Museum presents their spectacular choice of high fashion and ready-to-wear items, in addition to jewellery and costume jewellery within the everlasting galleries devoted to design from the twentieth and twenty first centuries. You’ll discover 30 style silhouettes and 100 items of jewellery from designers and prestigious homes akin to Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Christian Dior, Lanvin, and Balmain, in addition to massive names in design akin to Ettore Sottsass, Ron Arad, Philippe Starck, and the Campana brothers. This thematic presentation unfolds throughout the 5 flooring of the Marsan Pavilion, the place you’ll be able to peek on the views of the Tuileries Backyard from the home windows. Reservations nonetheless open for the 10pm time slot as of this morning!
Bourse de Commerce (2 rue de Viarmes, 2nd) – Open 7pm-midnight. The historic Bourse de Commerce (Commodities Trade) at Les Halles has housed the private artwork assortment of French billionaire François Pinault since Could 2021. Fairly standard with followers of latest artwork, some reservations nonetheless open within the final two time slots of the night, 10pm and 10:30pm.
Musée de la Maison Gainsbourg (14 rue de Verneuil, 7pm) – Open 7pm-midnight. Opened in September 2023, the Maison Gainsbourg is devoted to the lifetime of the controversial French musician Serge Gainsbourg (1928-1991), who lived in the home at #7 within the final a long time of his life. The precise museum throughout the road is split into eight chronological chapters from his life and 450 objects: manuscripts, works, trinkets, clothes, and jewellery. Guests exit by the Gainsbarre piano bar (which is price a go to at night time for its wonderful cocktails) and reward store, each which will be visited with no museum ticket. Solely the museum is open the Nuit des Musées, registration beginning Monday, Could 6, 2024, however in case you see slots open for the go to to his home, I extremely suggest signing up for that, far more fascinating than the museum’s memorabilia (until you’re an enormous Gainsbourg fan and perceive French).
Cinémathèque Française – Musée du Cinéma (51 rue de Bercy, twelfth) – Open 6pm-midnight. Housed within the hanging silver Franck Ghery constructing overlooking Bercy Park, the Cinema Museum is open for its present exhibition “The Artwork of James Cameron” in addition to the everlasting assortment of the whimsical Méliès Museum of Cinema Historical past, reserve your time slot to go away time for each.
Grand Palais Immersif (110 rue de Lyon, twelfth) – Open 7:30-10pm. Positioned in an annex of the Bastille Opera, the Immersive Grand Palais hosts immersive digital exhibitions. For the Museum Evening you’ll be able to go to “Synthetic Goals,” a performance-exhibition of AI-artistic creations and collaborations between artists and supercomputers. “An immersive dive into the dreamlike world of machines that questions the spectator in regards to the fast growth of synthetic intelligence.” Reservations open Could 1st at 9 am.
Musée d’Artwork et d’Histoire de l’Hôpital Sainte-Anne (MAHHSA) (1 rue Cabanis 14th) – Positioned within the 14th arrondissement of Paris, the Museum of Artwork and Historical past of Sainte-Anne Hospital (MAHHSA) is a little bit of a darkish horse I’ve by no means heard about earlier than this occasion. It preserves quite a few works created by artist-patients courting from the Nineteenth century to the current day from hospitals in France but in addition from around the globe (Brazil, India, Japan…). “The Sainte-Anne Assortment is exclusive in its quantity, range, heritage, historic, and aesthetic worth. With practically 1,800 works in its stock thus far, it continues to develop because of donations from psychiatrists, establishments, sufferers’ households, and artists.” A part of their mission is to destigmatize the view of works produced in a hospital context. The exposition “Ecrire l’Picture” (Writing the Picture) is open free to the general public for the Nuit des Musées from 1-6pm (so probably not at night time).
Maison de la Tradition du Japon à Paris (101 bis quai Jacques-Chirac,fifteenth) – Open 11am-8pm. The Japanese Cultural Heart of Paris is internet hosting free visits of the exhibition “Kenzô Tange – Kengo Kuma. Architects of the Tokyo Video games” from the 1964 and 2020 Olympics. It focuses on their affect on at the moment’s Japanese structure, their fascination with the Imperial Villa of Katsura (Kyoto, Seventeenth century), in addition to their ties with France. This exhibition is at all times free, however to see it for the Nuit des Musées you must reserve a time slot.
Reservations to the Musée Nissim de Camondo (Seventeenth), Musée Nationwide Eugène-Delacroix (sixth) and Hôtel de la Marine (1st) are already full.
Open Visits on the Most Fashionable Venues (Anticipate Very Lengthy Strains)
Musée Nationwide de l’Orangerie (Jardin des Tuileries, 1st) – Open 6-11pm. Beginning at 9 pm, entry to the museum is by way of the doorway to the Tuileries Backyard situated at Place de la Concorde, riverside. Take pleasure in a free go to of the everlasting collections, Claude Monet’s Water Lilies, and the exhibition “Robert Ryman, The Act of Seeing.”
Musée Nationwide Picasso-Paris (5 rue de Thorigny, third) – Open 6pm-12:30am. Open this night for the brand new presentation of the museum’s collections and the exhibition “In Léonce Rosenberg’s Residence: De Chirico, Ernst, Léger, Picabia…”
Grande Galerie d’Evolution (Jardin des Plantes, 36 rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, fifth) – Open 7pm-midnight. The Grand Evolution Gallery is a legendary Parisian museum of pure historical past renovated in 1994. It’s immensely standard with households, so they are going to be lined up early. Open visits of the everlasting exhibition can be found from 7pm, final entry at 11 pm.
Musée de Cluny – Musée Nationwide de Moyen Age (28 rue Du Sommerard, fifth) 6-11 :30pm. The everlasting assortment of the Latin Quarter’s Cluny Medieval Museum, additionally house to the Roman sizzling baths ruins, at all times attracts massive crowds, so anticipate to attend in lengthy traces to see the well-known Unicorn Tapestries.
Musée du Luxembourg (19 rue de Vaugirard, sixth) – Open 7pm-midnight. On the event of the Paris 2024 Olympics, the Musée du Luxembourg subsequent to the eponymous gardens has an exhibition devoted to the way forward for sport and design. “MATCH: Design & Sport – A Future-Oriented Historical past” traces the function of design within the progress of sport. The exhibition will even discover how the world of sport constantly evokes nice designers and vice versa, in sectors akin to automotive or ready-to-wear.
Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac (37 quai Branly, seventh) – Open 6pm-midnight. You’ll be able to go to the everlasting assortment of this contemporary museum devoted to the indigenous artwork and cultures of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas, or get pleasure from distinctive entry to the panoramic rooftop (7-11pm) with views over the Seine and neighboring Eiffel Tower.
Musée d’Orsay (1 rue de la Légion d’Honneur, seventh) – Open 6-11pm. One of the crucial standard museums in Paris is at all times going to be crowded. When you handle to get in tonight, you’ll have entry to many of the everlasting collections (sure rooms could also be closed). Doesn’t embrace entry to the present short-term exhibition on Impressionism, which you’ll reserve for €13.
Cité de l’Structure et du Patrimoine (1 place du Trocadéro et du 11 novembre, Sixteenth) – Open 7-11pm. The structure museum overlooking the Eiffel Tower is providing free entrance to a few short-term exhibitions: a primary retrospective to the architect and engineer Paul Andreu (1938-2018) following the donation of his 69 sketchbooks and archives; “Metro!” in regards to the historical past of the metro; and the exhibition “Notre-Dame de Paris, from Builders to Restorers”, an distinctive alternative to (re)uncover the cathedral and its historical past, from its development to at the moment’s development web site. Heaps happening right here; the yoga session is already totally booked.
Palais Galliera, Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris (10 avenue Pierre Ier de Serbie, 16th) Open 6:30pm-11pm. As Paris hosts the Olympic and Paralympic Video games in the summertime of 2024, the Paris style museum Palais Galliera is holding a sports-themed exhibition “Style in movement #2”. There are additionally musical occasions and “poetic ping pong” within the museum gardens. Anticipate there to be lengthy traces to get in right here, fashions museums are having a second.
Musée Nationwide des Arts Asiatiques – Guimet (6 place d’Iéna, 16th) Open 6pm-11 :30pm. Based in 1889 by the industrialist Émile Guimet, this museum preserves one of many richest collections of Asian artwork on the planet. In addition they have up to date artwork and pictures short-term exhibitions. The everlasting assortment in addition to short-term exhibition “T’ang Haywen, a Chinese language painter in Paris (1927-1991)” are open, and there are a number of musical occasions all through the night. Value checking the size of the traces in case you’re already visiting one other museum within the space.
Nationwide Maritime Museum (17 place du Trocadéro, 16th) Open 7-11pm. The museum is situated within the Nineteen Thirties Palais de Chaillot with wonderful views of the Eiffel Tower. Simply reopened this yr after years of renovations, it’s probably the most prestigious maritime museums on the planet, as a result of age and variety of its collections. Like lots of the museums capitalizing on Olympics fever, they’ve a short lived exhibition specializing in nautical sports activities. I assume it is going to be packed just because it’s been closed for thus lengthy, and youngsters love boats, proper?
Yves Saint Laurent Museum Paris (5 avenue Marceau, Sixteenth) Open 6 :30-10 :30pm. For the Nuit des Musées, the YSL museum provides open visits of their newest exhibition “Transparencies, The ability of supplies.” Among the many forty gadgets offered are the primary topless shirt and the Nude Costume from the 1968 collections. A number of fashionable and up to date works – drawings by Anne Bourse, pictures by Man Ray, a movie by the Lumière brothers that includes a choreography by Loïe Fuller, and a portray by Francis Picabia – will even be on show. Once more, anticipate lengthy traces.
