Paris is home to some of the world's most celebrated museums, but beyond its iconic landmarks lies a remarkable collection of cultural experiences waiting to be discovered. Through Paris Musées, visitors can explore 14 museums and historic sites that reveal the many faces of the French capital.
Art, Memory, and Shared Stories
From fine art and photography to literature, fashion, archaeology, and history, each museum offers a unique perspective on Paris and the people, ideas, and events that have shaped the city over the centuries. Through special exhibitions highlighting internationally renowned artists, including photographer Robert Capa and American painter Kerry James Marshall, Paris Musées celebrates the enduring cultural dialogue between France and the United States.
Robert Capa: The Making of A Legend
Dates: 18 February – 20 December 2026
American troops land on Omaha Beach during the D-Day landings, Normandy, France, 6 June 1944.
© Robert Capa / International Center of Photography / Magnum Photos
Few photographers have shaped the visual memory of the twentieth century as profoundly as Robert Capa. Renowned for his immersive approach to photojournalism, he documented some of history's defining moments with extraordinary immediacy, creating images that continue to resonate across generations.
Presented at the Musée de la Libération de Paris, the exhibition Robert Capa, War Photographer retraces the remarkable journey of the Hungarian-born photographer through vintage prints, magazines, personal objects, and archival documents. Together, these works reveal both the making of his images and the creation of a modern photographic legend.
Among its highlights are Capa's iconic photographs of the D-Day landings on Omaha Beach and the Liberation of Paris in August 1944—powerful images that captured both the realities of war and the joy of freedom regained. More than a retrospective, the exhibition offers a moving reflection on the enduring power of photography to bear witness to history.
The Liberation of Paris: Stories of Courage and Resistance
Musée de la Libération de Paris – musée du général Leclerc – musée Jean Moulin.
© Pierre Antoine / Paris Musées
At the Musée de la Libération de Paris – musée du général Leclerc – musée Jean Moulin, visitors can explore one of the most significant chapters in the history of the French capital. Through personal stories, original documents, photographs, archives, and artifacts, the museum brings to life the experiences of those who fought for freedom during World War II.
Dedicated to the legacies of Jean Moulin and General Philippe Leclerc, the museum traces the paths of resistance, liberation, and the return of freedom to Paris through an immersive and moving visitor experience.
Twenty meters beneath the museum, visitors can also discover Colonel Rol-Tanguy's command post, a preserved underground headquarters that played a key role during the Liberation of Paris, now brought to life through an innovative mixed-reality experience.
Kerry James Marshall: The Histories
Kerry James Marshall: The Histories, Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris.
Courtesy of the artist and Paris Musées.
Special Exhibition
Kerry James Marshall: The Histories
18 September 2026 – 24 January 2027
The first exhibition in France devoted to one of America's most influential contemporary artists, this landmark presentation brings together more than four decades of work exploring history, memory, identity, and representation through Marshall's powerful and visually striking paintings.
Widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of his generation, Kerry James Marshall has reimagined the history of painting through powerful depictions of Black life, memory, and identity. Through richly layered compositions, the American artist challenges traditional narratives and expands our understanding of representation in art.
Presented at the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, Kerry James Marshall: The Histories marks the first exhibition in France devoted to the artist. Bringing together approximately seventy works, including new paintings created especially for the exhibition, it explores more than four decades of artistic practice and Marshall's enduring dialogue with history and culture.
Both visually striking and thought-provoking, the exhibition invites visitors to discover one of contemporary American art's most compelling voices and the many histories that continue to shape our world today.
Beyond the Exhibitions: More Museums to Discover
The Catacombs
The Catacombs of Paris, one of the French capital's most fascinating and extraordinary heritage sites.
© Christophe Bertolin
Beneath the streets of Paris lies one of the city's most fascinating and unusual sites. The Catacombs of Paris invite visitors to explore miles of underground galleries and discover a unique chapter of the capital's history. Both haunting and captivating, this extraordinary experience offers a different perspective on Paris and its centuries-old heritage.
Le Petit Palais
The elegant peristyle and garden of the Petit Palais, Paris's Museum of Fine Arts.
© Ambroise Tézenas
Housed in a magnificent Belle Époque building, the Petit Palais is home to one of Paris's finest collections of art, spanning antiquity to the early twentieth century. From masterpieces by Monet and Courbet to its elegant gardens and ever-changing exhibitions, the museum offers a peaceful cultural retreat in the heart of the French capital.
Explore Paris Musées
From iconic masterpieces and extraordinary exhibitions to hidden gems that reveal the many layers of Parisian history, Paris Musées offers countless ways to experience the French capital through art, culture, and memory. Whether discovering the powerful photographs of Robert Capa, the contemporary vision of Kerry James Marshall, or the timeless beauty of the Petit Palais and the Catacombs, each visit opens a new window onto Paris and its enduring connections with the world.
To discover all 14 museums and heritage sites, explore current exhibitions, and plan your next cultural adventure in Paris, visit Paris Musées .
