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Discover the unique experience of Paris Museum Night, when several venues open their doors well after sunset. What could be more enjoyable than admiring the masterpieces almost in private, far from the usual crowds? Impossible? Not in Paris! All you need to do is visit in the evening to admire the permanent collections in an exclusive atmosphere.
And every year, at the end of May, during the Museum Night, dozens of museums in Paris and the Greater Paris area welcome visitors free of charge until the early hours of the morning.
Late-night openings offer a unique opportunity to discover Paris’s cultural treasures after the crowds have gone. Traditionally, museums close between 5 pm and 6 pm, but some venues offer extended opening hours until 9pm , or even 10pm depending on the venue. The Louvre Museum, for example, organises late-night openings on Wednesdays and Fridays until 9pm.
Online booking is strongly recommended for these special sessions, even for those entitled to free admission. Each museum follows its own schedule: some offer weekly late-night openings, others monthly ones, often accompanied by temporary exhibitions and special events.
Visiting a museum at night offers a unique experience and several significant benefits:
Evening openings offer the perfect cultural interlude after a day’s work or study. They allow you to rediscover the permanent collections and temporary exhibitions of Paris’s greatest museums and those in the Île-de-France region from a fresh perspective.
For lovers of cultural evenings out, the Palais de Tokyo is a must-visit destination in Paris. Unlike many venues that close their doors in the late afternoon, this contemporary art centre offers late opening hours that are much appreciated by night owls.
The Palais de Tokyo welcomes visitors almost every day of the week with exceptionally long opening hours:
Immersing yourself in the monumental installations, the performances and the exhibitions by contemporary artists as night falls offers a truly unique intensity. The building’s raw, industrial architecture takes on a mysterious and captivating dimension under the night-time lighting, making this visit a genuine sensory experience with the Eiffel Tower.
Monday is traditionally a closing day for most national museums (such as the Musée d’Orsay or the Musée de l’Orangerie). However, a few select venues allow you to quench your thirst for art right at the start of the week.
Nestled in the Jardin du Luxembourg (6th arrondissement), the Musée du Luxembourg is renowned for its first-rate temporary exhibitions.
Tuesday is traditionally a closing day for many Parisian museums (such as the Louvre). However, there are several cultural alternatives available for a successful day out.
Located on the Place du Palais Royal, this major hub for contemporary art offers late-night opening on Tuesdays until 10pm, ideal for exploring world-class solo or themed exhibitions within Jean Nouvel’s glass-and-steel architecture.
Located on the Place de la Concorde, the Jeu de Paume hosts its weekly late-night opening on Tuesdays until 9pm. This art centre dedicated to photography and contemporary visual arts offers a unique insight into contemporary creativity in the heart of the Jardin des Tuileries.
The Richelieu site of the Bibliothèque nationale de France is open every day for late-night visits until 8pm (7pm on Sundays). Make the most of these evenings to explore its magnificent museum, the Salle Ovale and the temporary exhibitions in an exceptional setting. The Mazarin Gallery, the jewel in the crown of this palace of culture, unveils its treasures and rare works in a cosy atmosphere.
Wednesday marks the start of several major late-night openings at institutions in the heart of Paris, not to mention some unusual summer openings.
The Louvre Museum showcases its priceless collections on two evenings a week, including Wednesdays from 9am to 9pm. Short, themed guided tours are regularly available.
| Museum | Late-night opening day | Closing times |
|---|---|---|
| Louvre Museum | Wednesday | 9pm |
| Maillol Museum | Wednesday | 10pm |
| Monnaie de Paris | Wednesday | 9pm |
| Maison Gainsbourg | Wednesday | 10.30pm |
Thursday is undoubtedly the night of choice for residents of Paris and the Île-de-France region to visit museums, with a host of venues staying open late.
The former Orsay railway station, transformed into a temple to 19th-century art, hosts its weekly late-night opening every Thursday until 9.45pm (last admission at 9pm).
On Thursday evenings, the Palais de Tokyo runs its flagship event, staying open until midnight.
There’s nothing quite like kicking off your weekend with an evening stroll through art in prestigious settings.
In the heart of the Bois de Boulogne, Frank Gehry’s architectural masterpiece offers late-night opening on Fridays from 11am to 9pm (last admission at 7.30pm), allowing visitors to combine visionary architecture with world-class exhibitions.
The Louvre extends its opening hours every Friday until 9pm, with a free late-night opening on the first Friday of every month from 6pm to 9pm (except July and August).
The Bourse de Commerce (1st arrondissement) showcases contemporary art from the Pinault Collection with late-night opening every Friday until 9pm.
Even at the weekend, the cultural nightlife offers exceptional opportunities to wander through galleries late into the evening.
The Petit Palais, a splendid showcase for the City of Paris’s fine arts, offers late-night openings on Fridays and Saturdays until 8pm, dedicated exclusively to its major temporary exhibitions.
As well as the weekly Friday late-night opening, which runs until 9.00 pm, do also visit on the first Saturday of every month at the Bourse de Commerce for a free late-night opening for everyone from 5pm to 9pm.
For those who love sweeping night-time views of the capital, the Towers of Notre-Dame are open daily from 1 April to 30 September, from 9am to 11pm.
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A flagship spring event, the European Museum Night takes place every year at the end of May. During this festive evening, more than 80 Parisian institutions and over a hundred venues across the Greater Paris area open their doors free of charge from sunset until midnight or even 2am.
To make the most of your cultural evenings out, keep these useful tips in mind:
