French museums open free for European Night this Saturday May 23
From pyjama parties to lightsaber workshops, find events and participating museums near you
Museums across France will be open late into the night, often hosting unique events and workshops
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The 22nd edition of the Nuit Européenne des Musées (European Night of Museums) takes place this Saturday, May 23, with over 3,000 museums across France and Europe offering free entry and events from dusk until around midnight.
Museums will be welcoming visitors for free, showcasing their collections through temporary exhibitions, guided visits, concerts, food tasting, dance events, tutorials, historical reconstructions and escape games.
The festival, which has been running since 2005, is organised by the Ministry of Culture which promises “a night full of surprises.”
Participating sites include botanic gardens, museums of history and archaeology, and artists' houses.
A map reflecting all of the events taking place around France, complete with details on any special exhibitions or performances, is available on the culture ministry website.
Some museums offering events or workshops require participants to reserve a spot in advance of their visit, while popular unticketed sites may often have long queues.
Note that the European Night of Museums is not to be confused with the annual night-time Paris arts festival, la Nuit Blanche, which will take place on June 6 this year.
Here is a pick of events you can attend
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Fort de Vaise, Lyon, 18:00 - 21:00
The Renaud Foundation is hosting a workshop where participants can make their own artistic herbarium (a collection of preserved plant specimens).
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Frac Franche-Comté, Besançon, 14:00 - 23:00
Visitors can see a dance show titled Territoires - a programme that brings performance and the public together in unusual spaces and venues. The show is scheduled at 18:00 and 21:00, lasting 45 minutes, and will take place in a contemporary arts centre near the Besançon Citadelle.
Bretagne
Écomusée de la Bintinais, Rennes, 18:00 - 23:59
Visit a Breton eco-museum and take part in Fest an noz - an evening of traditional dance and music. Crêpes and galettes will be served to participants.
Centre-Val-de-Loire
Musée des beaux-arts, Tours, 19:00 - 23:59
A concert titled Music from the time of Camille Claudel will be performed by the Ensemble Consonance at the Beaux-Arts museum in Tours, which also features works created by the self-taught sculptor alongside 90 other artworks by female artists from 1880 - 1913.
Grand Est
Jardin botanique Jean-Marie Pelt, Nancy, 20:00 - 23:59
Visitors to Nancy can attend a pyjama party at the city’s Botanic Gardens. Homemade herbal tea and sleepover-themed activities will offer a unique way of experiencing the plants and flowers, combining relaxation and curiosity.
Hauts-de-France
Maison de Jules Verne, Amiens, 19:00 - 23:59
Jules Verne’s 19th-Century townhouse is offering an exceptional opening. Throughout the evening, visitors can tour each of the rooms and enjoy a ‘reading marathon’ wherein a series of Verne's writings will be read aloud.
Île-de-France
Cité des sciences et de l’industrie, Paris, 19:00 - 19:40
This 40-minute show will explain the different stages of a solar eclipse, the best viewing locations and the techniques for observing it safely, in preparation for the three solar eclipses that will be visible from France between August 2026 and January 2028.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Maison de la Poterie de Sadirac, Sadirac, 18:00 - 23:00
Visitors in groups of up to six people can take part in a 45-minute escape game in an attempt to uncover the museum’s secrets before time runs out.
Normandie
Maison de l'Armateur, Le Havre, 19:00 - 23:00
The ground floor of the museum will be open exceptionally with a cup of spiced tea, coffee or hot chocolate offered on arrival. Visitors can then explore the Réminiscences - Fantômes de l'esclavage (Reminiscences - Ghosts of Slavery) exhibition and can book a place on a guided tour.
Occitanie
Espace Georges Brassens, Sète, 18:00 - 22:00
Fans of Georges Brassens can attend a karaoke evening and take turns performing the singer’s classic songs as well as other popular French hits.
Pays de la Loire
Atelier Henry Simon - Les Rimajures, Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, 17:00 - 22:00
Art restorer, Gaëlle Couton, will be showing visitors how she meticulously restores antique paintings. People are welcome to drop in throughout the evening.
Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur
Musée national du sport, Nice, 17:00 - 19:00
France’s national sport museum will be hosting 30-minute sessions offering an introduction to using lightsabers, in a special glow-in-the-dark experience.
