Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), Le Déjeuner des Canotiers, 1880-1881, Photo Courtesy of The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.
Spring is blooming in Paris which means visitors and locals alike will occasionally be called inside to explore upcoming exhibits on rainy afternoons. Art and craftsmanship are tightly woven into the Parisian cultural fabric, and remain touch points for French inspiration and savoir-faire, no matter the season. Decadent diamonds, unparalleled oeuvres by celebrated masters, and works mythologized by time all arrive to Paris’s storied museums to be observed by curious admirers. This spring brings une nouvelle vague (a new wave) of art to experience.
In the past, one had to travel to Paris to see the Mona Lisa or queue up to enjoy spectacular surrealist art, but now collections can be enjoyed interactively almost anywhere. When out of town — or when museums, such as the Centre Pompidou, temporarily close their doors — we never miss an opportunity to enjoy these gems from a distance.
Read on to discover some of the best exhibits in France right now that you can visit on your next trip or explore now virtually from the comfort of your own home.
1. Renoir & Love (1865-1885)
Musée d’Orsay
Renoir was known, unlike many of his peers, for composing works dedicated to human pleasures and joy. Through colorful and whimsical brushstrokes, he captured life optimistically. Stripping away the guards of social class and religion between his subjects, his work highlighted conviviality between friends, lovers, and family in the face of pervasive loneliness growing among city dwellers throughout the industrial revolution.
© Musée d’Orsay, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Patrice Schmidt
Musée D’Orsay presents Renoir & Love (1865-1885) until July 19th, 2026, making for a particularly special collection of works by the legendary artist to see when visiting Paris. Here’s a closer look at the exhibit with the curator:
To enjoy Renoir and explore his contributions to the Impressionist movement from home, we recommend exploring the following online exhibits:
Enjoy an interactive look at “The Promenade” painting
Listen to an audio guide of Renoir’s ‘Femme Accoudée’
2. Leonora Carrington
Musée du Luxembourg
Leonora Carrington discovered her own version of Surrealism in Paris’s Golden Age. Mixing mythology with landscapes, themes of nature, sorcery, femininity, and motherhood, she quickly became one of the few women recognized within the Surrealist movement in the 20th century. While her story is closely associated with her relationship to celebrated painter, Max Ernst, this exhibit highlights 126 works, in which Carrington takes the spotlight.
The Musée du Luxembourg is celebrating the work of Carrington until July 19th, 2026. To enjoy the exhibit from afar, curators Tere Arcq and Carlos Martín guide viewers through several featured works with English subtitles:
Divinité by Max Ernst is currently on display at the Luxembourg Museum in tandem with Carrington’s work. While the painting is not officially a portrait of her, Ernst was inspired by Carrington’s side profile for the composition. You can take a closer look at the painting here.
3. Matisse, 1941-1954
Grand Palais
In the last decade of his life, Matisse left a legacy of color. When we hear his name, blue collages of a reclining woman come to mind. The time between 1941 and 1954 were vibrant years for his final oeuvre (collection), in which Matisse traded in a paintbrush for scissors, crafting some of his most impressionable works on painted paper.
The pieces of his final years including many of his most renowned découpages are now on display at the Grand Palais in Paris until July 26th, 2026. If you can’t make the exhibition in person, we recommend enjoying the online collection of Matisse: The Cut-Outs, curated by Samantha Friedman for MoMa in 2015. This interactive exhibit offers an audio guide with comments from the curator.
To explore Matisse’s work further, the Matisse museum in Nice, offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy their collection interactively online.
4. Azzedine Alaïa & Christian Dior, Two Masters of Haute Couture
Fondation Azzedine Alaïa
We have Dior to thank for many of today’s timeless trends. Structured silhouettes and an attentive eye for tailoring have become mainstays in French design and taste, colored and enhanced by Dior’s skillful vision. His legacy continues to shape the industry and inspire new masters of couture, notably the likes of Azzedine Alaïa, who was an avid collector of Dior’s earliest work.
The Two Masters of Haute Couture exhibit — showing at the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa until June 21st, 2026 with a video tour available online — details the subtle dialogue between Dior and his protegé, until Alaïa became one of the most celebrated designers of his time.
To explore further, Dior’s work and the history of Haute Couture can be enjoyed through Google Arts & Culture digital exhibits.
5. Dynastic Jewels: Power, Prestige, and Passion (1700-1950)
Hôtel de la Marine
While this exhibit comes to a close on April 6th, 2026, we would be remiss to exclude an opportunity to visit dynastic treasures in Paris. The Hotel de la Marine was once the home to the French crown jewels, but following the theft of coveted stones, the jewels were removed. Today, the curators of the exhibit honor La Marine’s legacy with pieces from empresses Catherine the Great, Joséphine Bonaparte, Marie-Louise, and Queen Victoria.
One of our favorite museums, the Museum of Decorative Arts, also offers a look into their jewelry showroom which is home to a unique collection. Alternatively, following security changes in the Louvre, the Apollo Gallery and the French crown jewels can now be admired online.
