From the pioneer of street art to Renaissance masterpieces, the best art exhibitions in Paris in 2020 will appeal to all art tastes. New exhibitions are opening throughout the year, but we’ve also thrown in a couple of permanent art exhibitions in the city that you simply have to see.
Get ready to explore this cultural city and take in some world-class artwork along the way…
Best Art Exhibitions To See In Paris In 2020
1. Christian Louboutin, Exhibition[nist] – Paris Palais de la Porte Dorée
Shoes and drawings will be on show in the oceanic setting of the Palais de la Porte Dorée, a place that has long inspired the famous designer, who was born nearby, in the 12th arrondissement. This influence can be seen in the aquatic shapes and evocative names of some of his shoe models such as the famous ‘mackerel’ shoe.
2020 Dates: February 26th – July 26th
2. The Music of Picasso – Philharmonie de Paris
This exhibition brings together almost 200 works from public and private collections and aims to investigate the link between the master painter and the musical world that is often featured in his work. Some 20 musical instruments, all precious to Picasso, are also on display. It’s a unique angle to view the work of such a legendary artist.
2020 Dates: April 3rd – August 16th
3. Body and Soul: Sculpture in Italy from Donatello to Michelangelo – The Louvre
Calling all Renaissance art lovers: this is one of the must-see art exhibitions in Paris in 2020. The exhibition will focus primarily on the art of sculpting, but will also explore a number of works from other fields (painting, printmaking, and drawing). As the title suggests, the exhibition will showcase work from the leading sculptors of the time, from Donatello to Michelangelo.
2020 Dates: May 6th – August 17th

4. Cézanne and the Italian Masters – Paris Musée Marmottan Monet
For the first time, the famous painter’s works will be presented alongside pictures by the great Italian masters from the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The exhibition features some sixty masterpieces from leading public and private collections around the world. It’s a deep dive into some of the best classic works of art in the past few hundred years.
2020 Dates: February 27th – 5th July
5. The World of Banksy – The Immersive Experience -Espace Lafayette-Drouot
This is a great chance to see some of the most famous street art pieces (including large scale reproductions) by Banksy. Cities such as London, New York, Paris and more have iconic artworks by Banksy. This time, the works will be on show at an exceptional exhibition at the Espace Lafayette-Drouot. The immersive show is spread across three floors, with some 50 original works by the artist from private collections.
2020 Dates: Now – June 30th
6. Modern Life – Museum of Modern Art of Paris
This is a new presentation of the museum’s permanent collections, allowing visitors to revisit a century of art history through major works. Take a tour through the history of surrealism and realism, as well as paintings that show the new challenges of contemporary painting. With nearly 15,000 works, this modern art museum has a seriously impressive collection.
2020 Dates: Ongoing

7. Turner, Paintings and Watercolours at the Tate – Paris Musée Jacquemart-André
Don’t miss this opportunity to see works from the most famous English watercolour artist, Joseph Turner. This exhibition reveals the role that watercolours played in Turner’s life and art. Thanks to loans from Tate Britain in London, which houses the largest collection of Turners in the world, the museum will display 60 watercolours and 10 oil paintings.
If you can’t visit the Turner collection in London anytime soon, this is the next best thing.
2020 Dates: March 13th – July 20th