If your (sad) excuse for never going to museums is that they close early and cost a lot, this free late night event is definitely for you.

© Centre Pompidou. Photo Georges Meguerditchian


The Night of Museums was created in 2005 by the French Ministry for Culture and Communication. In 2007, it attracted an estimated 1.3 million visitors to 956 museums in France and 960 museums in 41 other European countries.

The idea of the event is to make museums fun again by letting you stroll from one to another at your leisure without have to check your watch or your wallet. Participating venues often put on special events for the night, and this year over 130 museums in the Paris region will be open for your intellectual pleasure.

Highlights include a special lightshow on the facade of the Musée de la Monnaie (coin museum) and contemporary art show inside, intriguing tours led by actors at the Petit Palais, and twelve “moon dresses” (like “shooting stars”) made by Diana Brennan being shown at the Musée Galliera with a specially-commissioned flute soundtrack.

Also, don’t forget that this is your chance to see – for free! – Marie Antoinette at the Grand Palais, Monet at the Orangerie, Sophie Calle at the BNF, Monumenta 2008 with Richard Serra, the Louvre, the Pompidou Centre…

Check out the programme below (or click the little yellow circle to see it larger) as times differ from venue to venue; some shut at 11pm, others only open at that time! Should be an exceptionally interesting night…

Official website (bilingual) here.