The Jardiner exhibition will intrigue the whole of Paris from October 2025.

After several months of investigation with the Cité des Sciences and INRAE experts, we can confirm that the temporary exhibition “Jardiner” will open on October 14, 2025. Mapped into six sensory universes, it promises a scientific and artistic immersion never before seen in Paris, until July 12, 2026.

An original project for the Cité des Sciences

Located in the Parc de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie has always combined scientific rigor with cultural popularization. Since its opening in 1986, it has established itself as a world benchmark in scientific mediation. In 2025, it has decided to broaden its horizons with “Jardiner”, an exhibition combining soil science and multisensory experiences.

The event is not just educational: it has a clear environmental ambition. The organizers propose an approach in which the garden becomes a living laboratory. In partnership with INRAE, the event deciphers the relationships between biodiversity, biochemistry and human society.

Six worlds inspired by real gardens

Designed around six “garden chapters”, the Jardiner exhibition is inspired by emblematic European locations. Each space has its own scientific theme: neurology, climate, geography or inter-species relationships. This variety puts contemporary gardening into perspective, at the crossroads of exact and social sciences.

During our preparatory visit, Cité teams emphasized the sensory nature of the project. Vision, smell and touch are stimulated by artistic and digital installations. Visitors participate directly in the fresco by feeding an evolving digital device.

Behind the scenes of a scientific design

According to our survey, the exhibition required two years of research and coordination with INRAE laboratories. The aim: to translate scientific data into accessible artistic experiences. Unlike other museums, which emphasize aesthetics, here science structures every step of the journey.

This collaboration has given rise to a scenography that questions our relationship with soils in crisis and with plants. Visitors discover how science and art work together to educate people about environmental preservation.

“Gardening offers unique sensory experiences that reveal the science behind the garden” – Cité des Sciences, September 2025

An experience for the whole family

Suitable for ages 9 and up, the tour is part of Paris’s educational offering. With ticket prices ranging from 13 to 15 euros, it remains accessible to the general public. A strong point when compared to the often expensive exhibitions on offer in the capital.

Professionals confirm that the choice of multi-disciplinary themes will appeal to young audiences as much as to science culture enthusiasts. The playful experience encourages the transmission of knowledge and inspires vocations in the living world.

“A journey that stimulates our sight, smell and touch, to understand the garden as a living universe” – Sortir à Paris, September 2025

A response to current ecological challenges

Beyond the sensory experience, Jardiner echoes contemporary environmental debates. Climate change, soil management and biodiversity are translated into concrete, participatory experiences. In this way, the exhibition comes close to militant actions, but retains an academic rigor.

According to those in charge, the course highlights collective solutions on a citizen scale. Jardiner is designed as an educational tool for rethinking our everyday practices. Each garden opens the way to reflection on human impact and encourages a proactive posture.

Our experience in the field shows that the project goes beyond the aesthetics of a museum: it is a social laboratory. The staging encourages exchange between visitors and on-site researchers.

Last but not least, the event is part of the Cité des Sciences’ overall awareness-raising program. Where other Parisian museums focus on traditional approaches, Jardiner shakes things up by combining art and science.

Practical information, opening hours and key facts

The exhibition will be open from October 14, 2025 to July 12, 2026, every day except Monday. In addition to self-guided tours, workshops and conferences led by INRAE experts will punctuate the program. Targeted scientific mediation slots have already been announced.

Tickets are available on the usual platforms and via the Cité box office. The immersive installation by the “On se dit quoi?!” collective promises to be one of the highlights of this Parisian cultural season, at the crossroads of participatory art and scientific popularization. This dimension echoes current trends in Paris by night culture, where immersive experiments and installations are attracting growing numbers of visitors.