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10 exhibitions to see in Paris for World Photography Day

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The Editor

© Kourtney Roy / Courtesy Galerie Les filles du calvaire Paris

Next August 19th marks World Photography Day. The perfect moment to celebrate this art form in the capital, especially as this year marks the bicentennial of one of the world's most popular mediums. For the occasion, we're sharing our favorite photography exhibitions right now, available in some of Paris's finest institutions, or accessible for free directly in the city's streets.


Roma, City of Light on the Banks of the Seine

All summer long, travel to Italy without leaving the capital by discovering Rome from the Seine's banks. Through its involvement in cinema, both as a setting and source of inspiration, rediscover 60 years of Italian film history. An opportunity to admire both iconic monuments and lesser-known corners, for a true retrospective of Italian cinema.

Roma, City of Light
Seine Riverbanks Park – 1st District
Until August 30, 2026
Free admission
More info


Camille Vivier at the MEP

Throughout the summer, Camille Vivier redefines the female body in all its forms. From shot to shot, she plays with the rules to shake up our certainties and celebrate a raw, textured strength, almost tangible. Flesh dialogues with inanimate objects to provoke and question. With nearly a hundred works brought together, this journey traces twenty-five years of a fascinating career spent flirting between sharp fashion editorial and the purest underground art.

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Camille Vivier
European House of Photography
5,7, rue de Fourcy – 4th arrondissement
Until September 13, 2026
More info


Photography A to Z at the MEP

To celebrate the bicentennial of photography, the MEP brings together around thirty artists to pay tribute to this medium that has stood the test of time and continues to fascinate with its richness even today. Designed as an alphabet, the exhibition combines little stories to tell us about the grand History of photography in the broadest way possible. From the beginner to the expert, from the selfie lover to the shutter enthusiast, this event is s

s addressed to everyone to present cross perspectives from the 1920s to today.

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Photography in All Its Forms
European House of Photography
5/7, rue de Fourcy – 4th
Until September 13, 2026
More info


Levitation at the Saint-Jacques Tower

<Through more than 40 stunning shots, photographer Mathieu Forget explores bodies, movement and the world. From the four corners of the globe, he captures timeless moments: when bodies take flight and lose contact with the ground. Each one composed with meticulous precision to create a unique harmony between the subject and their surroundings, these photographs will enchant you.

Levitation. Mathieu Forget, 10 Years of Photography
Saint-Jacques Tower Gates
88, Rue de Rivoli — 4th arrondissement
Until September 15, 2026
Free admission
More info


Marilyn Monroe at the Galerie de l'Instant (dedicated article)

Until September 15, 2026, the Galerie de l'Instant traces the evolution of Marilyn Monroe through photography. An actress, pop culture icon, but above all a global symbol of glamour, she will never cease to fascinate us. And this time, it's through the lens of Sam Shaw that we discover her in a new light. A close friend of the actress, he offers us photographs of rare depth, mesmerizing for those who gaze upon them. Between the film set behind-the-scenes, the intimate portraits and moments of everydaydien, these images trace the evolution of a woman often put through the wringer.

Marilyn. Portrait of a Radiant Woman
Galerie de l'instant
46, rue de Poitou – 3rd arrondissement
June 1 to September 15
Free admission
More info


All inclusive at theCity of Economics

Through her unique style, photographer Kourtney Roy shines a light on all our contradictions about tourism, in a colorful and humorous way. From the dream image we project to the financial, economic and cultural pitfalls that come with it, the artist breaks the rules and debunks myths surrounding travel to invite us to reflect. Seemingly cheerful and carefree images that hide a sometimes much grittier reality, created in a delightfully retro style, just waiting to be discovered!

All Inclusive
Citéco. City of the Economy
1, General Catroux Square – 17th arrondissement
Until September 20, 2026
More info


Fragile Beauty at the Jeu de Paume

Through hundreds of photographs from the collection of Elton John and his husband David Furnish (which contains over 7000), the Jeu de Paume tells us a story of modern and human photography. Through five thematic sections, the exhibition will explore subjects such as desire, fashion, celebrities and photojournalism. On the walls, names like those of Robert Mapplethorpe, Irving Penn, Diane Arbus and Herbert List illustrate the passion of the singer and his companion for thismedium that allows them to explore all the subtleties of the human condition.

Fragile Beauty. Photographs from the Collection of Sir Elton John and David Furnish
Jeu de Paume
Jardin des Tuileries
1, place de la Concorde – 1st
Until September 27, 2026
More info


Paris, Open at Night at the Roger-Viollet Gallery

Among these many nicknames, the French capital boasts that of the City of Light, and for good reason. As darkness falls, the lights from apartments, shop windows and clubs come to illuminate it with a thousand sparkles, offering us a magical spectacle whose crowning glory is undoubtedly the glittering Eiffel Tower. As summer is just around the corner and Parisian nights become electrifying, the Roger-Viollet gallery invites us to discover a selection of photographs to experience the capital in a new light… or rather, a whole new night!

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Paris, Open at Night
Roger-Viollet Gallery
6, rue de Seine – 6th arrondissement
Until October 3, 2026
Free admission
More info


Robert Capa at the Liberation Museum

To celebrate as it deserves the bicentennial of the invention of photography, the Liberation Museum looks back on the life and career of one of the greatest war photographers, Robert Capa. From room to room, the institution highlights his work and talent, displaying his keen eye on the greatest conflicts of the 20th century. From the Spanish Civil War to the Normandy Landings, passing through Indochina, we discover powerful testimonies, like

>snapshots by Lee Miller recently exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art. A fascinating and passionate immersion into the history of photography, and more broadly, the world.

Robert Capa. War Photographer
Leclerc Moulin Liberation Museum
4, Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy Avenue – 14th arrondissement
Until December 10, 2026
More info


The Great Ages at the Museum of Mankind

Until the end of the year, the Museum of Mankind explores the great ages of human life. This groundbreaking exhibition, born from the meeting between biodemographer Samuel Pavard, professor at the Museum and aging specialist, and Nikos Aliagas, talented photographer as well as accomplished presenter, blends art and science to offer us a profound perspective on mankind and our relationship with the passage of time, while also exploring the place of old age in our society. A poetic, delicate and deeply human tale that you simply cannot miss.

The Grand Ages
Musée de l'Homme
17, Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre – 16th arrondissement
Until January 3, 2027
More info