Top 10 Art Exhibitions in Paris

London’s Victoria and Albert Museum brings David Bowie to Paris, in the form of handwritten lyrics, iconic costumes, fashion photography, instruments from the artist’s personal collection and short films documenting the meteoric career of the man once known as Ziggy Stardust. Fittingly housed at the Paris Philharmonie, this marks the first flagship exhibition by the new cutting-edge music venue. More info…

One of the most notorious and scandalous royal families in history, the Tudors have fascinated historians and storytellers for hundreds of years. Delve into a dynasty bursting with intrigue, scandal and history at the Luxembourg Museum, where you’ll have the chance to pore over original documents, grand portraits and personal artefacts. More info…

Few places could house the full impact of a fashion guru, but the Grand Palais is one of them. A world of style under one roof, this epic exhibition will be at its tenth stop on an international tour that will already have seen Montreal, San Francisco, Madrid and London by the time it lands in Paris. Charting Gaultier’s career from 1970 to the present day, the exhibition is a catwalk show in its own right. More info…

A fascinating insight into the lives of two giants of history, Paris’ Churchill and De Gaulle exhibition is aptly housed in the grand Musée de l’Armée at Invalides. 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of Churchill’s death as well as the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, making this a fitting tribute to two of the War’s great players. With archival documents displayed alongside contemporaneous footage, photographs, memorabilia and letters on display for the first time, visitors will also be able to spot two tanks flanking the North facade of Invalides – both of which saw action in France in 1940. More info…

Exploring the complex relationship between Napoleon and the city of Paris, this exhibition at the Musée Carnavalet charts the rise of one of the most famous soldiers in history, before examining how his imperial power shaped the city itself. As a centre of European politics and culture with a modest population of over 600,000 inhabitants, Napoleon’s vision of Paris may be a thing of the past, but it can still be seen today. More info…

Taking the ultimate romantic gesture as its central theme, the Musée Maillol brings together works of art from all over western Europe, from the Renaissance to the present day. With media ranging from grand paintings to comic strips, the exhibitions explores the universal romance of The Kiss in photography, sculpture, design and even film. With works by Rodin, David Lynch, Picasso and Chagall, The Kiss is both impressive and intimate. More info…

One of the giants of art history, Velazquez is regarded as the artist of Spain’s glittering golden age. Born in 1599 in the city of Seville, Velazquez was a contemporary of Bernini and van Dyck, and would go on to become the official artists to King Philip IV at a time when Spain was the most powerful country in the world. Exhibited alongside his peers – those he influenced, and those who influenced him – the Grand Palais showcases some of his most celebrated works and reminds us why Velazquez claims so many pages in the history of art. More info…

The first ever retrospective of this imaginative seamstress and canny businesswoman, the Palais Galliera pays tribute to the woman behind the oldest fashion house in Paris to still be in operation today. An apprentice milliner aged just 16, Lanvin went on to train as a dressmaker and first became known for her children’s collections. Opening multiple stores and even expanding into perfumes, Lanvin was as formidable a businesswoman as she was a designer. Drawing on their own collection as well as that of the Lanvin fashion house, the exhibition has been created in collaboration with Alber Elbaz – Lanvin’s current Artistic Director. More info…

The historic clash of two worlds is charted by the Quai Branly Museum as it follows the stories of two great men: Francisco Pizarro and the great Incan Emperor, Atahualpa. When the Spanish conquistadors arrive on the shores of Peru, their quest for land and gold bring them into inevitable conflict with Atahualpa’s “the empire of four quarters.” Telling both sides of a turbulent story through maps, engravings, Incan artefacts and Hispanic objects, this is ‘history in conversation’, an open dialogue for lovers of anthropology, history and adventure. More info…

Regularly quoted as “the oldest profession in the world” the Musée d’Orsay will host the first ever major event to shine a spotlight on the role of prostitution in the history of art. Diving into the murky yet seductive world of brothels, bordellos and the ‘ladies of the night’, the exhibition will feature artists ranging from Dégas to Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec to Munch. Whether the strangely decadent world of the courtesan or the tribulations of the street-walker, the shadowy figure of the prostitute has inspired countless artists – displayed together for the first time, we are invited to share and explore the timeless appeal of a hidden world. More info…