Cold streets outside, warm galleries inside. December in Paris brings crowd pulling exhibitions across the big hitters and the independent spaces, with late openings and a few holiday closures that change the rhythm. Visitors land with one question in mind: where to catch the strongest shows this month without losing a day in line.
The essentials come fast. Major museums like the Musée du Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Bourse de Commerce Pinault Collection, Fondation Louis Vuitton, Musée Picasso, Grand Palais Immersif and Atelier des Lumières headline the season while neighborhood venues keep things intimate. Timed tickets rule for the blockbusters, December 25 is closed almost everywhere, and late evenings offer a calmer path through the crowds. For scale, the Louvre counted 8.9 million visitors in 2023 according to its annual report, and the Musée d’Orsay announced a record year in 2023 in its press communications, so planning pays off.
Best Paris exhibitions in December, where to look first
December sits at the sweet spot of the autumn to winter art calendar, when big temporary exhibitions usually run into January and smaller shows rotate before the new year. The Louvre is open every day except Tuesday, permanent collections and headline temporary shows often require a timed slot, museum website as source. The Musée d’Orsay is closed on Monday and keeps Thursday evenings late for night visits, official schedule.
Photography and design tend to cluster around Concorde and the Tuileries with the Jeu de Paume and the Musée de l’Orangerie. Contemporary art stays strong around Les Halles at the Bourse de Commerce Pinault Collection, and in western Paris with the Fondation Louis Vuitton in the Bois de Boulogne. Immersive formats continue at Atelier des Lumières and Grand Palais Immersif, both running daily time slots, program pages provide details.
Holiday specifics matter. Most national museums close on December 25 and January 1, official notices confirm this, and some announce early closing on December 24 and December 31. Checking the museum page before heading out avoids a blank day.
Tickets, late openings and smarter timing in December
Paris museums rely on timed entry for high demand exhibitions in December, especially on weekends and during the Christmas school holidays announced by the Ministry of National Education. Booking ahead by a few days is the safe option for headline venues, while smaller spots can still offer same day entry.
Late nights change the game. The Louvre opens until 21:45 on selected evenings stated on its site, and the Musée d’Orsay keeps galleries open until 21:45 on Thursdays. These slots reduce waiting and let visitors see marquee rooms with softer light and thinner crowds.
Free entry exists too. Several national museums in Paris participate in the first Sunday program referenced by the Ministry of Culture, which draws lines early. Arriving right at opening helps, or picking a paid late night instead.
Five quick moves that save time and nerves in December :
- Pick one blockbuster plus one smaller museum per day, not three heavy hitters in a row.
- Grab the earliest or latest time slot, commuting off peak keeps energy for the art.
- Use official apps or e tickets, they update live capacity and entry points.
- Check closures for December 24, 25, 31 and January 1 on each venue page.
- Layer indoor travel, metro between clusters and a short walk, to stay warm and on schedule.
Crowds, holidays and weather, what changes in December
Two realities shape the month. The Christmas school holidays in France usually run for about two weeks that straddle late December and early January, Ministry calendar, which spikes demand from mid morning to late afternoon. Then the weather sets the pace. According to Météo France climate normals for Paris, average December temperatures hover around 5 degrees Celsius and daylight drops near the solstice to roughly eight hours per day.
This means mornings are calm, late evenings are even calmer, and the window between 11:00 and 16:00 fills fastest. Coat checks and lockers exist at most large museums, details on each site, so visitors can layer up and still glide through galleries without carrying everything.
One more thing. Night photography rules vary, tripods are usually not allowed in permanent collections, and flash can be restricted in temporary shows. The house rules page of each museum spells out what passes at the door.
Winter art routes, a simple plan for a weekend in Paris
Day one stays on the Seine. Start on the Right Bank with the Louvre in the morning, cross over to the Musée d’Orsay mid afternoon, then circle back to the Musée de l’Orangerie for the final hour. That pairing fits the day, with a single headline exhibition and a quieter gem at the end.
Day two goes contemporary. Late morning at the Bourse de Commerce near Les Halles, lunch in the Marais, then the Musée Picasso or the Musée Carnavalet for a shorter, narrative visit. Save a nocturne for Fondation Louis Vuitton or Orsay depending on the vibe, both support a night crowd and accomodate a slower look.
Those wanting an immersive detour can swap one stop for Atelier des Lumières or Grand Palais Immersif. Families often prefer the fixed timed sessions and clear seating, while solo visitors get short bursts of screen based art between longer museum walks.
For current lineups and exact hours, the most reliable pages remain the museum websites, the Paris tourist office portal Paris je t’aime, and the City of Paris agenda under the label Que Faire à Paris. They update daily with dates, last entry times and any strike or renovation alerts.