European Museum Night 2025: a tour of national, rural, scientific and European cultural venues!

"For culture lovers and the curious, this will be an opportunity to see or revisit, free of charge and in a unique atmosphere, the collections and exhibitions of all the museums taking part in the operation". As the French Minister of Culture writes in her editorial introducing this 21st edition, the European Night of Culture honors most museums, both in France and in other European countries. Here's an overview of these cultural venues, open for a night like no other!

France's major national museums are all taking part in the operation, in more or less entertaining ways. The most playful is undoubtedly the " Nuit d'amour, d'art et de fête", organized in Paris at the Musée d'art moderne. Under the banner of festivity, love and "the affirmation of identities", the program includes a techno brass band, "strolling majorettes", dancing to "boom hits", make-up sessions by performers and a "dancefloor between italo, disco and techno" to close the evening!

A number of equally original venues also open their doors. Such is the case with

• the Paris metro : as part of European Museum Night on May 17, RATP is offering special tours of the metro network, accompanied by expert heritage guides;
• Museums dedicated to the Second World War: to mark the 80th anniversary of the Armistice of May 8, 1945, the spotlight is on French museums dedicated to this period of recent history. From the Occupation to the Liberation, via the Resistance and the various landings, these places of memory retrace the major stages of the conflict.

But this year, as the Ministry of Culture points out, will also be marked by the promotion of museums de France in rural areas , in line with the "Culture and Rurality" plan initiated by the Ministry. On the program: visits to eco-museums, local museums of history and archaeology, artists' houses... So many establishments that "conceal treasures" testifying to the history of the territories, their inhabitants and their savoir-faire. To help you discover them, the French Ministry of Culture is offering a National Guide to Rural Museums, in the form of a web application, available online from May 13.

A number of science museums in France, under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, are also opening their doors for Museums' Night. All offer a dedicated program, with free access to their permanent collections and some of their exhibitions. This is the case for most of these museums, such as :

• the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle : a national museum, both a research and teaching center, and a conservation facility bringing together museums, botanical gardens and zoological gardens in different parts of the country, in Paris and the regions;
• the Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac: boasting 300,000 works, the museum showcases the arts and civilizations of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, through "a rich program of scientific and artistic dialogue";
• Cité des sciences et de l'industrie: a place of "communication between science, society and technology", the Cité offers a varied program of exhibitions, shows and conferences, as well as a free, open-access library with 120,000 multi-media resources;
• Palais de la Porte Dorée: a multi-disciplinary cultural institution, the Palais de la PorteDorée is a historical monument, a museum (the History of Immigration Museum) and a tropical aquarium;
• the Palais de la découverte : an emblematic Parisian venue "dedicated to the popularization of science", the Palais de la découverte's historic building is currently closed for renovation. However, during the works, the Palais de la découverte is continuing its activities outside its walls, with the Étincelles du Palais de la découverte, an ephemeral structure.

Since 2001, as the website dedicated to the event points out, European Museum Night has been celebrated simultaneously in over thirty European countries. On May 17, museums all over Europe will be offering "itineraries or digital immersions to explore the history, culture and values that unite the continent ". Here's a small selection of not-to-be-missed events:

• in Italy : in Rome, some 15 municipal museums will be open in the Eternal City from 8pm to 2am. The program includes concerts and shows to liven up these exceptional cultural evenings;
• Spain: Nuit dels Museus brings together a growing number of museums and cultural centers in and around Barcelona for free visits and a series of cultural activities and events;
• Lithuania: Lithuania's Capital of Culture in 2025, the southern town of Druskininkai commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kazys Morkūnas, a great Lithuanian glass artist and one of the founders of the Lithuanian school of stained glass;
• Romania : the Crișana Museum, housed in the Baroque Palace in the north-eastern city of Oradea, opens its doors for a night of celebrations.

It should be noted, however, that some countries have not chosen the same date for this Museum Night. For example:

• Sweden: in Stockholm, the Kulturnatt is the cultural event not to be missed in spring. For one evening (not in May, but in April), all cultural and artistic institutions are invited to open their doors and offer entertainment;
• In Germany, Museum Nights take place in October and/or November in Berlin, Munich and Cologne;
• in Amsterdam, theNetherlands, National Museum Week takes place in March...

• The dedicated website ( with an interactive map of events in France and Europe)

• the Ministry of Culture website

• Ministry of Higher Education and Research website