A year of celebrations, and our tips for making the most of it
On 9 December 1986, a railway station built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle became a museum. Forty years on, Orsay is blowing out its candles with a line from Verlaine as its motto: “Rêvons, c’est l’heure!” (“Let us dream, it is time!”). Exhibitions, a people’s party, new displays: here is what’s worth the trip, and how to plan your Paris stay around it.
The big party: La Boum 1986, 12 December
This is the highlight of the festivities. On 12 December 2026, Thomas Jolly, the director behind the opening and closing ceremonies of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, will set up a dance floor beneath the museum’s nave. The idea: a joyful evening shared by all, celebrating the building as much as its collections.
Entry is free, but capacity is capped at 1,500 and places are allocated by prize draw. To try your luck, you need to register on the museum’s website.
An open-doors weekend
On Saturday, 5 December 2026, and Sunday, 6 December 2026, everything is free and open to all. No need to book a time slot: simply walk in, wander at your own pace through the nave and galleries, and celebrate the anniversary alongside everyone else. The weekend is part of the “40th Anniversary Festivities” programme, running from 19 November to 12 December, with concerts, performances, and workshops in the nave, the auditorium, and the galleries. Highlights include:
- singer Aldebert (“Enfantillages”) and an edition of France Inter’s “Fabuleuses histoires du doudou”, for younger visitors;
- the Maîtrise populaire de l’Opéra Comique, a singing workshop with Clara Brenier and a dance workshop with Christine Bonneton;
- brass and percussion from the Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France, conducted by David Guerrier.
Exhibitions not to be missed
Mary Cassatt: The Choice of Independence (6 October 2026 – 31 January 2027). Nearly 80 paintings, pastels and prints to rediscover this American who lived in France for almost sixty years: a pillar of Impressionism and a free spirit.
Jenny Holzer, “I Saw” (20 October 2026 – 21 February 2027). The American artist sets excerpts from artists’ letters and period writings in dialogue with the museum’s works. During opening week, night-time projections light up the Seine-side façade.
As for Monet, a hundred years after his death, Orsay is showcasing its 251 works and documents by the artist. A trail helps visitors understand his way of working, in tandem with the Musée de l’Orangerie.
A growing collection: the spotlight on acquisitions
Since 1986, the museum’s holdings have almost quadrupled. Between 2015 and 2025 alone, nearly 5,000 works joined the collections: 135 paintings, 155 sculptures and medals, 240 objets d’art and 2,250 photographs.
To see them, head to Room 33, in the heart of the Impressionist galleries, where the displays change regularly:
- Marie Bracquemond, until 6 December 2026, with studies for her faience panel Les Muses des Arts;
- Maurice Denis, mystical illustrator, until 3 January 2027;
- Édouard Vuillard, from 15 December 2026 to 7 March 2027, ahead of the exhibition “Vuillard, Intimate Theatres” (23 March – 25 July 2027).
In December, the 1848–1889 decorative arts galleries also reopen, with some 200 works. Throughout your visit, “40 ans” labels point out the key acquisitions of the past decade.
Stay at Hôtel Moderniste
Between a morning with Cassatt and a night of dancing in December, enjoy the calm and thoroughly Parisian atmosphere of the 15th arrondissement. Hôtel Moderniste is a handy base for exploring Paris and returning to peace and quiet after the party.
For your dates around 5–6 December, the Boum on the 12th, or simply a cultural getaway, book direct on our official website!
Practical information
- Venue: Musée d’Orsay
- Festivities: 19 November to 12 December 2026
- Free weekend: 5 and 6 December
- La Boum 1986: 12 December, free, by prize draw
- Programme and tickets: musee-orsay.fr
Photo ©Stephen Moorehead - Unsplash