Among the best exhibitions currently in Paris, the one dedicated to Lee Miller at the Museum of Modern Art in Paris checks all the boxes for the perfect cultural experience. First of all, because this is the largest retrospective in France in twenty years, bringing together nearly 250 prints, some of which have never been seen before. A rare opportunity to rediscover this artist who has long remained in the shadows.
13 May 2026 10:00 + more dates
The Museum of Modern Art: An Extraordinary Venue
Before even discussing the works, we must pause to consider the venue. Located in the modern wing of the Palais de Tokyo, the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris impresses with its monumental 1930s architecture, its clean lines, and its vast, light-filled spaces. And what about its permanent collection? People come here for Matisse, for Modigliani, for Delaunay, and for Dufy and his immenseFée Électricité, whichcovers an entire wall.
Admission to the permanent collection is free, and the collection spans all the way to the end ofthe 20thcentury. Its storage holds works that even longtime Parisians have never seen. Yes, it is quite simply one of the richest collections of modern art in Europe.
An unclassifiable artist, straddling fashion, surrealism, and war reporting
A star model in New York, muse to the Surrealists in Paris, fashion photographer for Vogue, then war correspondent: Lee Miller’s life reads like a movie. In fact, it was brought to the screen in the 2023 biopic *Lee Miller*, directed by Ellen Kuras.
This cinematic aspect is precisely what makes this exhibition so compelling, as it traces her journey from start to finish, from her experiments with Man Ray to the harrowing images of the liberated camps in 1945.
The exhibition (organized into several sections) reveals a body of work that is as aesthetically striking as it is socially engaged, where visual boldness never overshadowed the reality of the world. Solarization, portraits, war scenes: each image captures an era and traces the destiny of a free woman, ahead of her time.
An unmissable exhibition
What strikes you here is the constant contrast: between beauty and violence, fashion and war, intimacy and History. The exhibition highlights the full richness of a body of work long underestimated, and now considered a major part of 20th-century photographic history. The result? A visual knockout that stays with you long after the visit. Add to that an iconic venue with a view of the Seine, and you clearly have one of the must-see exhibitions in Paris right now.
Tickets for the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris
13 May 2026 10:00 + more dates