The European Night of Museums

Initiated by the Ministry of Culture, the event, the "Night of Museums", which has succeeded the "Spring of Museums" since 2005, takes place every year on a Saturday in May, at the same time as ICOM’s "International Museum Day".

For one night, between sunset and 1 a.m., the public is invited to discover for free, in an unusual, festive and playful way, the riches of the museums of France, as well as those of thirty countries of Europe.

Each participating institution designs an event that brings together the talents of artists, professionals and volunteers from diverse backgrounds. Each one showcases, in an original way, its collections (Fine Arts, Modern Art, Ethnography, Archaeology, Folk Traditions, etc.) by offering animations for all audiences.

On the programme : temporary exhibitions, guided thematic tours, musical itineraries, meetings, readings of texts, concerts, tastings, demonstration of know-how, aperitif/buffet, historical re-enactments, highlighting, film screenings...
So that everyone, alone, with family and friends, can compose their journey and discover the night magic of museums, during a night full of surprises.

The programme is available on the national event website

The full programme of the "Night of Museums" is available a few weeks before on: the national website of the European Night of Museums

The "Nuit des musées" is organized by the French Ministry of Culture/ Direction des musées de France (DMF), with the support of the Réunion des musées nationaux (RMN), and, in the Grand Est region, with the participating museums and the Grand Est Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs.