Springtime in Paris isn’t just about cherry blossoms and café terraces—it’s the season when the city’s art and cultural calendar truly comes alive. As the sun returns and the streets of Paris hum with energy, its most iconic museums and cutting-edge galleries unveil exhibitions that are bold, breathtaking, and utterly unmissable. Whether you’re craving a blockbuster retrospective, a fashion-history deep dive, or an avant-garde adventure, this spring’s lineup has something to inspire every kind of culture lover. Below, we’ve rounded up ten of the most talked-about exhibitions in Paris right now, each one with a direct link to more info so you can plan your visit like a pro.
1. Art Paris 2025 at the Grand Palais
Returning to its rightful home in the newly renovated Grand Palais, Art Paris 2025 (April 3–6) is not just an art fair—it’s an essential Parisian moment. With 170 galleries from over 25 countries, this edition is bigger, bolder, and more international than ever. Expect a curated mix of modern and contemporary art with a special focus on design, decorative arts, and new voices in French figurative painting. It’s a must for collectors, dreamers, and anyone who loves getting lost in bold strokes and beautiful spaces.
2. David Hockney 25 at Fondation Louis Vuitton
A master of colour and composition, David Hockney is celebrated in a spectacular new retrospective running from April 9 to August 31. Hosted in the stunning Fondation Louis Vuitton, the show brings together over 400 works from across seven decades, including iPad paintings, photo collages, and immersive video installations. It’s a vibrant, joyous journey through Hockney’s world that reaffirms why he remains one of the most beloved and inventive artists of our time.
3. Agnès Varda: Here and There at Musée Carnavalet
Intimate, playful, and deeply human—this exhibition is a loving tribute to the legendary Agnès Varda. Set in the charming Musée Carnavalet, the show explores her life and legacy through 130 photographs, film clips, notebooks, and personal items. Known as the “mother of the French New Wave,” Varda’s unique vision is celebrated in full colour, from her beloved Rue Daguerre to the beaches of California. A must-see for film buffs, feminists, and anyone moved by stories that come straight from the heart.
4. Beloved Banlieues at Musée de l’Histoire de l’Immigration
This groundbreaking exhibition offers a refreshing, honest look at France’s suburbs—the banlieues—and the richness of life found within them. Through more than 200 works, including photos, archival footage, art, and urban design, the exhibition redefines narratives that have long been shaped by stigma. Instead, it presents a vibrant patchwork of community, resilience, and creativity. It’s a powerful reminder that Paris’s stories extend well beyond its center.
5. Louvre Couture: Fashion Meets History at the Louvre
Running until July 21, this elegant exhibition inside the Louvre traces the evolution of decorative styles and the dialogue between fashion and interior design from Byzantium to the Second Empire. With 65 beautifully preserved garments and furnishings, it showcases how historical couture not only clothed individuals but shaped visual culture. A rare and ravishing opportunity to see fashion through the lens of fine art.
6. Christian Krohg: The People of the North at Musée d’Orsay
Lovers of realism and Nordic art are in for a treat at this rare retrospective of Norwegian painter Christian Krohg. On view through July 27, this poignant exhibition highlights his tender portrayals of ordinary people in coastal communities. From fishermen and seamstresses to young mothers and working-class families, his works speak quietly and powerfully about dignity, struggle, and the soul of a region.
7. Art Is in the Streets at Musée d’Orsay
If you’ve ever been captivated by a vintage Parisian poster, this is your exhibition. Featuring nearly 300 pieces from the golden age of street art in the 19th century—including works by Toulouse-Lautrec, Mucha, and Bonnard—this show dives into how illustration, advertising, and public art transformed the visual landscape of modern cities. Come for the colour, stay for the nostalgia.
8. Alberto Giacometti / Petrit Halilaj at Institut Giacometti
From March 14 to June 8, this dreamlike exhibition creates a surreal dialogue between Alberto Giacometti’s iconic sculptures and the contemporary, whimsical world of Petrit Halilaj. It’s a dance between shadow and memory, bronze and fabric, past and present. Thought-provoking, emotional, and completely transportive, this is one for lovers of conceptual art and poetic spaces.
9. 100% L’Expo at Grande Halle de La Villette
If you’re hungry for something fresh and fearless, make your way to La Villette from April 10 to May 11. 100% L’Expo is a celebration of emerging artists and boundary-pushing work across every medium imaginable. It’s experimental, edgy, and buzzing with energy—the kind of show that reminds you why contemporary art matters.
10. Barbara Chase-Riboud: When a Knot is Untied, a God is Set Free
Spanning eight Parisian institutions, this monumental tribute to Barbara Chase-Riboud explores the intersections of art, history, and literature. Best known for her powerful bronze and silk sculptures, Chase-Riboud’s work evokes strength, grace, and the legacy of diasporic memory. It’s an unforgettable opportunity to engage with one of the most important and under-recognized artists of our time.
There’s never a wrong time to visit Paris, but this spring’s cultural calendar makes it one of the most exciting moments in years. From artistic legends to fresh perspectives, these exhibitions promise to inspire and illuminate. Pack your curiosity, grab a notebook—or a sketchpad—and let the City of Light work its magic.
