One of my pastimes is wandering around the beautiful Parisian museums and galleries, basking in all its glory, followed by lunch of coffee with a friend.
June in Paris is truly something special—early summer light dances across the Seine, café terraces are buzzing, and the city’s art scene comes alive with a fresh wave of exhibitions. As someone who lives and breathes this city (and guides others through its creative heart!), I’ve already had the chance to see a few of this month’s must-sees—and I’m so excited to share what’s caught my eye and what’s still on my list.
Whether you’re a long-time art lover or just want to step into a cool, inspiring space on a hot day, here’s what I’m loving—and looking forward to—this June 2025.
Already Seen (and Still Thinking About…)
“Worth: Inventing Haute Couture” at the Petit Palais
Let me tell you—this is not just for fashion lovers. It’s a full immersion into the early days of Parisian couture. I found it simply breathtaking. The embroidery, the silhouettes, the sheer opulence—there’s something so transporting about it. It’s like walking through a moving, whispering dream of Paris past.
A special emphasis on the perfume collection from the 1920s!!!
“Paris Noir” at the Centre Pompidou
Compact, comprehensive, and deeply necessary. This exhibition does a brilliant job of drawing together Black and Afro-diaspora artists who’ve lived and created in Paris across decades. You feel the resistance, the rhythm, the love, and the rage. It’s emotional and beautifully curated—I genuinely hope it paves the way for more exhibitions like this in major institutions.
Not to mention, this is one of the last exhibitions you will have the luck of seeing as the Centre Pompidou closes this year for a 6-year renovation hiatus!
“Barbro Östlihn” at the Institut Suédois
This one moved me in a quiet way. I went in curious and came out inspired. I loved not only her bold works but also the intimacy of the photo album on display—you get to see how she lived while creating. That blend of everyday life and art was so powerful. Her time between Stockholm, New York, and Paris feels like a conversation that’s still echoing.
Sneak around the back of the museum for one of the best hidden gems in the Marais – an almost completely empty garden!
Still on My List (Counting Down the Days!)
“Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely, Pontus Hultén” at the Grand Palais (Opening June 20)
I’m a huge Niki de Saint Phalle fan, and the reopening of the Grand Palais with a tribute to her, Jean Tinguely, and Pontus Hultén feels so right. Their rebellious, collaborative energy is exactly what Paris needs right now. I’m hoping this show brings together their joyful chaos with the depth and seriousness behind it all. You know I’ll be there day one!
The Grand Palais also just opened its new cafe and I am excited to try it!
“Robert Doisneau: Instants Donnés” at Musée Maillol
Doisneau’s photographs are Paris. They hold nostalgia, humor, and tenderness in equal parts. I’m curious to see which of his lesser-known series are included in this big retrospective, and I love that Maillol is giving him space to breathe and speak to us across time.
I always enjoy photography exhibitions here, there is something weird but perfect about the space itself that lends to an intense focus on the art it holds.
“DISCO” at Palais de Tokyo (Opening June 12)
The Palais de Tokyo is finally reopening, and they’re doing it with disco! Yes please. I’m ready to step into an art rave if that’s what this exhibition turns out to be. Music, fashion, performance, identity—there’s so much to unpack here, and I trust this museum to make it deliciously weird and immersive.
I am a big fan of their cafe and bookshop full of all the most amazing coffee table books and international fashion and art magazines you won’t find anywhere else in Paris.
“Matisse et Marguerite” at Musée d’Art Moderne
A more personal angle on Matisse? I’m intrigued. This father-daughter lens on his work and life feels like it could give us a softer, more intimate view of an artist we think we already know.
BONUS: A Few More On My Radar
- David Hockney at Fondation Louis Vuitton – A whopping 400 works across decades? Yes.
- Corps et Âmes at Bourse de Commerce – Contemporary takes on the body and soul, plus the always dreamy architecture of the Pinault space.
- Céleste Boursier-Mougenot’s “Clinamen” – Floating porcelain bowls that make music with each gentle collision? So meditative.
If you’re coming to Paris this June, these exhibitions are a great way to see the city through many lenses—historical, personal, political, joyful. And if you’d like to explore them with context, conversation, and a bit of insider charm, I’d love to have you on one of my tours.
See you in the museums (or at the café after),
Yanique