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11 exhibitions not to miss in May in Paris

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The Editor

Actaea, 2021-2025 - Anselm Kiefer © Anselm Kiefer / Thaddaeus Ropac

As the saying goes, in May, we do what we please. And what pleases us is to take full advantage of the numerous public holidays to stroll through the cultural institutions of the capital. It’s perfect timing, because this month, they are offering a delightful selection of absolutely stunning exhibitions that we can enjoy without any moderation. To top it all off, between sculpture, painting, photography, and even Pokémon, there's something for everyone’s taste!


The Ambition of Painting at the Orangerie Museum

He is often called "the Douanier", as if Henri Rousseau could be summed up by this nickname earned from his job at the Paris customs. The Orangerie Museum shines a light on this self-taught, free and remarkably unique artist in an unprecedented retrospective. About fifty works from around the world, including exceptional loans from the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, reveal the boldness and imagination of the artist, featuring fantastical jungles, urban scenes, and enigmatic portraits.

Henri Rousseau, the ambition of painting
Musée de l’Orangerie
Jardin des Tuileries – 1st
Until July 20, 2026
More info


Leonora Carrington at the Musée du Luxembourg

Leonora Carrington is a true superstar in Mexico, yet she remains rather unknown in France. For the first time, a retrospective is fully dedicated to this key figure of surrealism. As we move from room to room, the Musée du Luxembourg immerses us in her fascinating and mysterious world. Her unique work explores resolutely modern themes like migration, motherhood, and even religion. It’s an outward and inward journey that features powerful female characters.

g> and some fantastic creatures, that will leave absolutely no one indifferent.

Leonora Carrington
Musée du Luxembourg
19, rue de Vaugirard – 6th
Until July 19, 2026
More info


The comic talks cash at the Monnaie de Paris

Once again, the Monnaie de Paris takes us into the world of pop culture, with a new playful and colorful exhibition about the 9th art: comics. And if the connection between money and comics seems distant to you, not at all! Remember, Scrooge dives into his vault, the Daltons rob a bank, and Gaston Lagaffe declares war on parking meters. Overall, the institution showcases over two centuries of creativity, featuring no less than 250 works from public and private collections.

CLING! The comic speaks frankly
Monnaie de Paris
11, quai de Conti – 6th
Until September 6, 2026
More info


Prom at Lafayette Anticipations

For his very first solo exhibition in the capital, Italian artist Diego Marcon transforms Lafayette Anticipations into a hybrid experimental cinema. Here, architectural codes from the Italian Renaissance theater meet the modern comfort of movie theaters as we know them, to explore our relationship with images. On the agenda, 4 screenings, each tied to a specific emotion and cinematic genre, to question the norms and taboos that govern human relationships. Sometimes grotesque, violent, or comedic, ch.this scene calls out to us, urging us to reflect.

Diego Marcon. Prom
Lafayette Anticipations
9, rue du Plâitre – 4th
Until July 19, 2026
More info


The Praise of the Everyday at the House of Culture

Japan's Eye

Not well-known in Europe, he is nevertheless one of the greatest masters of Japanese photography. This spring, the Japan Cultural House in Paris invites us to a major retrospective that showcases the evolution of artist Kazuo Kitai's gaze, from his earliest photographs in the 60s to the present day. With over 130 prints, this promises to be a complete and powerful journey through his work, allowing us to travel through time and borders to the Land of the Rising Sun, its rich history, and its poetic landscapes.

Kazuo Kitai, the Praise of Everyday Life – Sixty Years of Photographing Japan
Japan Cultural Institute in Paris
101bis, quai Jacques-Chirac – 15th
Until July 25, 2026
More info


Silla at the Guimet Museum

You might not know its name, but the Silla kingdom was one of the brightest civilizations in East Asia. The Guimet Museum is now revisiting the endless richness of this state, offering a journey straight to the heart of the cultural memory of the Korean Peninsula. Through a chronological path, the institution reflects on the history of this powerful kingdom, deeply rooted in ancestral traditions. A unique journey through time, blending political, religious, and aesthetic dynamics.ethics, to discover real national treasures, some of which will leave Korea for the first time. 


Belt and gold pendants © Gyeongju National Museum

Silla: Gold and the Sacred. Royal Treasures of Korea (57 BC - 935)
National Museum of Asian Arts Guimet
6, place d'Iéna – 16th
From May 20 to August 31, 2026
More info 


Come see them all at the Musée en Herbe

It’s probably the most colorful and playful museum in the capital. Once again, Musée en Herbe brings us an exhibition that will surely delight both young and old, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the creation of Pokémon. Designed like a real treasure hunt,

The retrospective showcases the entire history of the saga, from its birth in 1996 to today. Throughout the rooms, cards and video games mingle with the Japanese or European works that inspired the creator, Satoshi Tajiri. An unexpected dialogue, to unravel all the mysteries of Pokémon.

Pokémon. Catch them all
Musée en Herbe
23, rue de l'Arbre Sec – 1st
Until September 6, 2026
More info


Nymphæum at the Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac

Once in a while, Anselm Kiefer steps away from themes of war and death to take on a grand subject: ancient mythology. In spectacularly sized canvases, the painter once again unleashes his talent, presenting us with landscapes filled with nymphs — naiads, nereids, and oceanids. Botanical forms break through the surface of the canvases covered with...golden son, to offer us an absolutely fascinating mystical decor. A new feat for the 81-year-old artist who never stops amazing us.

Nymphæum by Anselm Kiefer
Thaddaeus Ropac Gallery
69, Avenue du Général Leclerc – Pantin (93500)
Until October 25, 2026
Free entry
More info


Hil

Hilma af Klint at the Grand Palais

For the first time in France, a retrospective shines the spotlight on Hilma af Klint, a pioneer of abstract art, giving her the recognition she truly deserves. Blending colors, shapes, and symbols while bringing together gigantic canvases and secret works, the Grand Palais offers us a glimpse into the talent of this radically avant-garde Swedish artist, who continually experimented and created throughout her career. It’s an explosive expression of complete freedom, questioning the often minimized role of women artists in the history of art.

Hilma af Klint
Grand Palais
13, avenue du Général-Eisenhower – 8th
From May 6 to August 30, 2026
More info


Feathers of Paradise at the Quai Branly Museum

Get ready for a grand and colorful exhibition that the Quai Branly Museum is offering to explore throughout spring and summer. Featuring over 190 works, it pays tribute to creatures as fascinating as they are mysterious: the birds of paradise. The museum creates a rare dialogue, blending ceremonial adornments from Papua New Guinea, paintings by great Flemish masters, naturalized specimens, and fashion accessories, to...highlight the importance of these animals in various fields such as natural history, ethnology, art, and ecology.

Feathers of Paradise
Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac
37, quai Jacques-Chirac – 7th
From May 12 to November 8, 2026
More info


Bricks oWonder at the Champerret Space

Once again, the little Danish building bricks showcase their incredible artistic power in this new exhibition. On the menu, there are dozens and dozens of spectacular creations, both new and those paying tribute to symbols of global culture. In total, there are over 150 spectacular works, imagined by the artist Dirk Denoyelle, waiting to be discovered with family or friends. And if you want to join in the fun, a construction room is waiting for you at the end of your journey, so you can let your imagination run wild!

Bricks of Wonder
Espace Champerret
Place de la porte de Champerret – 17th
From May 23 to August 16, 2026
More info