The best exhibitions in Paris for August

As the light changes and a new season begins in Paris, its galleries and museums are unveiling unmissable programming to enjoy across modern and contemporary art. The Art of the Olympics should not be missed at Gagosian Paris at 4 rue de Ponthieu as well as the Ellsworth Kelly retrospective at Fondation Louis Vuitton. La Galerie Dior and Claude Monet’s Water Lilies or Les Nymphéas at Musée de l’Orangerie are as captivating as ever for those who enjoy strolling peacefully through Jardin des Tuileries in the summer. If venturing further afield to the Côte d'Azur then visit the collection of Fondation Maeght as well as The Infinite Woman exhibition at Fondation Carmignac on the island of Porquerolles. We update this article monthly so that you can always follow the best upcoming exhibitions in Paris and beyond.

1. The Art of the Olympics at Gagosian Paris

In celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, a brilliant two-part group exhibition has opened at 4 rue de Ponthieu. The gallery has referenced a quote from Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Movement, who declares that “Art enlightens the intelligence, captivates thought, and incites ambition.” Naturally, the theme of the exhibition is sporting endeavours as it unites a diverse array of international artists. Highlights include a broad spectrum of mediums from Man Ray’s Jeux Nocturnes (1970) as well as Jonas Wood’s Scholl Canyon (2005) and a preparatory sketch for Christo, Running Fence (1974).

Address: 4 rue de Ponthieu 75008 Paris
Website: www.gagosian.com
Price: Free
Dates: Until 7 September 2024

2. Bourse de commerce Pinault Collection

The Bourse de Commerce, a former stock exchange, has been transformed into the opulent and yet minimalist Pinault Collection, which is also housed at Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana in Venice. 10,000 works of contemporary art spanning from emerging to established artists are divided between the two cities. Architect Tadao Ando – known for Chichu Museum on Naoshima Island in Japan – reconceived the building with a focus on the monumental skylight. The cultural institution is known for its inspiring artistic programming across a broad spectrum of mediums, from paintings and photography to sculpture and media.

Address: 2 rue de Viarmes, 75001 Paris
Tickets: Feverup.com
Price: From €14; Concessions available
Dates: Closed on Tuesdays

3. La Galerie Dior

The luminous museum La Galerie Dior is described as, ‘a place of art and memory’ and celebrates Parisian couture and the heritage of the iconic brand. Monsieur Dior was originally a gallerist and was continually inspired by art and architecture as both a collector and designer. The brand continues to be involved in art. The visionary creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri has always ensured that inspiring women are perpetually at the forefront of their leadership and vision at Dior. Experience their history through exquisite archival sketches, photographs and original looks as well as sources of inspiration from the artistic to the botanical.

Address: 11 Rue François 1er, 75008 Paris
Website: galeriedior.com
Price: From €12; concessions available
Dates: Closed on Tuesdays

4. Claude Monet’s Water Lilies at Musée de l'Orangerie

One of the most beautiful Parisian museums is the Musée de l'Orangerie built alongside the Jeu de Paume in the Jardin des Tuileries. It is known for the hypnotic Water Lilies or Les Nymphéas series, eight extended canvases by Claude Monet, which were generously donated to the French state after WWI as a symbol of peace. As with Monet’s studio in Giverny, natural light floods into the galleries and illuminates the paintings. There are also revolving temporary exhibitions to experience at the Musée de l'Orangerie with artists like Amadeo Modigliani who worked closely with illustrious French art dealer and collector Paul Guillaume.

Address: Jardin des Tuileries, 75001 Paris
Website: musee-orangerie.fr
Price: From €12.50; concessions available
Dates: Closed on Tuesdays

5. Musée national Picasso-Paris

Musée National Picasso-Paris is an opulent museum inside Hôtel Salé, which is devoted to the Spanish artist and the artists that he worked alongside. 5,000 works of art are held within their collection including preparatory sketches as well as his prolific photographic archive and correspondence. Their temporary exhibition Dans l'appartement de Léonce Rosenberg. De Chirico, Ernst, Léger, Picabia.. brings together influential artists. The museum is located on the picturesque rue de Thorigny in Le Marais not far from Centre Pompidou. You can continue on to explore smaller galleries nearby like Thaddeus Ropac, Perrotin and David Zwirner.

Address: 5 rue de Thorigny, 75003 Paris
Website: museepicassoparis.fr
Price: From €11; concessions available
Dates: Closed on Mondays

6. Fondation Maeght

The modern elegance of both the architecture and permanent collection of Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul de Vence is internationally renowned. Designed by Josep Lluís Sert, it was built in 1964 within a verdant garden on Colline des Gardettes. The permanent collection brings together modern artists like Pierre Bonnard, Anna-Eva Bergmann and Marc Chagall as well as Simon Hantaï, Pierre Soulages and Vassily Kandinsky. Another favourite artist on display is the abstract expressionist Joan Mitchell whose brilliant retrospective Monet - Mitchell was recently held in dialogue with the work of Claude Monet at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris.

Address: 623 Chem. des Gardettes, 06570 Saint-Paul-de-Vence
Website: fondation-maeght.com
Price: From €16; concessions available
Dates: Open everyday 10-6pm

7. Matisse Chapel in Vence

On the French Riviera, in a quiet corner of Vence, is a serene chapel devised by Henri Matisse in the mid-20th-century. Towards the end of his life, Matisse worked devotedly on the architecture, delicate ceramics, murals, stained glass windows, as well as the finer details like the priests’ vestments. The small Catholic chapel was dedicated to the Dominican Order and maintains a sense of spirituality. It is a profoundly immersive and meditative experience to spend a few hours there in the presence of some of the artist’s most evocative work. Whilst nearby, you can also visit the collections at Fondation Maeght and Château La Coste.

Address: 466 avenue Henri Matisse, 06140 Vence
Website: chapellematisse.fr
Price: From €7; concessions available
Dates: Closed on Sunday and Monday

8. Musée Rodin

Only a short walk from the Eiffel Tower and Grand Palais, Musée Rodin was opened in 1919 and has since been devoted to the work of the prolific French Sculptor Auguste Rodin. Get lost in the classical architecture with exquisite rocaille details. The sculpture garden is also exquisite and offers a quiet escape during the Olympics this summer. The museum featured in Midnight in Paris directed by Woody Allen, in which Carla Bruni had a cameo as a tour guide

Address: 77 Rue de Varenne, 75007 Paris
Website: www.musee-rodin.fr
Price: From €13; concessions available
Dates: Closed on Mondays

9. The Infinite Woman at Villa Carmignac

Villa Carmignac is a peaceful sanctuary on the island of Porquerolles in the south of France. The Provençal farmhouse is surrounded by an impressive sculpture park with sweeping views over the Mediterranean. Curated by Alona Pardo, their thought-provoking exhibition The Infinite Woman reflects on the empowerment and representation of women. Expect Italian renaissance masters like Sandro Botticelli alongside contemporary artists like Loie Hollewell and even an on-site fresco France-Lise McGurn. The exhibition will be accompanied by a diverse cultural programming from meditation to intimate film screenings in the sculpture garden.

Address: Villa Carmignac, Porquerolles, Île de Porquerolles, La Courtade, 83400 Hyères
Website: fondationcarmignac.com
Price: From €16; concessions available
Dates: From 27 April 2024 to 3 November 2024 (Closed on Mondays)

10. Ellsworth Kelly, Shapes and Colors, 1949-2015 at Fondation Louis Vuitton

Ellsworth Kelly was an influential American abstract painter and sculptor. This is the first major retrospective of his career, which spanned seven decades, to be held in France. He was a pioneering artist of the 20th century, and more than 100 of his paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, and collages will be on display. They have been generously loaned from Ellsworth Kelly Studio and private collections as well as international institutions like Tate as well as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Whitney Museum. Exhibited in confluence with the surrounding architecture of Frank Gehry, the exhibition is both evocative and powerful.

Address: 8 Av. du Mahatma Gandhi, 75116 Paris
Website: fondationlouisvuitton.fr
Price: From €16; concessions available; under 12s go free
Dates: 4 May 2024 to 9 September 2024

11. The Art of the Olympics at Gagosian Paris

In celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, a brilliant two-part group exhibition has opened at 4 rue de Ponthieu. The gallery has referenced a quote from Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Movement, who declares that, “Art enlightens the intelligence, captivates thought, and incites ambition.” Naturally, the theme of the exhibition is sporting endeavours as it unites a strong line-up of international artists. Our highlights include a diverse array of mediums from Man Ray’s Jeux Nocturnes (1970) as well as Jonas Wood’s Scholl Canyon (2005) and a preparatory sketch for Christo, Running Fence (1974).

Address: 4 rue de Ponthieu 75008 Paris
Website: gagosian.com
Price: Free
Dates: Until 7 September 2024