Palais Garnier secret costume exhibition 2025

The Opéra national de Paris is staging a unique exhibition to mark the 150th anniversary of the Palais Garnier, on view until January 2026. This selection of costumes covers over 70 years of stage creations, rarely accessible to the general public. The event is already attracting critics and discerning visitors, and promises exceptional revelations of workshop know-how.

A journey through 150 years of creation

Since September 2024, the Palais Garnier has been hosting a unique exhibition of historic costumes in its public areas. The pieces on display come from the workshops of the Opéra national de Paris, and represent productions such as Giselle, Faust and Les Noces de Figaro. These rarely-seen treasures offer an educational and artistic perspective on the evolution of the repertoire since the 1950s.

The event coincides with the 150th anniversary of the building inaugurated by Charles Garnier in 1875. The choice of presenting these costumes at the heart of a mythical monument lends symbolic force, between heritage and scenic innovation. According to our sources, over 200 pieces will be on display, carefully restored for the occasion.

A tribute to Marc Chagall

This retrospective will take on a special significance in 2025, the 60th anniversary of Marc Chagall‘s famous ceiling painting. A set of costumes from the ballet Daphnis et Chloé, directly related to this masterpiece, illustrates the links between the visual and performing arts. The guides emphasize the troubling correspondence between painting and textiles.

During our visit, the vibrant atmosphere of the rooms surprises us as much by the chromatic variety as by the rendering of materials: embroideries, tulles and rare fabrics. The scenographic staging reveals how each costume contributes to the theatrical illusion. This sensory experience reveals the technical skills of the Opera’s specialized dressmakers.

Costume workshop expertise

The Opéra Garnier workshops are more than just a place to make clothes: they embody an internationally recognized living heritage. Every year, some 600 new pieces leave these workshops to dress singers and dancers. Visitors discover the precision of the cuts, the use of noble materials and conservation techniques.

Since January 2025, several guided tours have focused on the trades of tailor and feather worker. The testimonies gathered emphasize this rare mastery, a true guarantee of the transmission of know-how. The European Heritage Days in September were fully booked as soon as reservations opened.

“Our costume workshops are a veritable nursery of unique know-how, remarkably highlighted during our guided tours.” – Workshop Manager, Opéra national de Paris

Round tables and cultural debates

In November 2025, two days of round-table discussions will bring together historians, architects and stage directors to examine the cultural impact of the Palais Garnier. Themes include architectural symbolism, cultural policy and behind-the-scenes artistic creation. These public debates are conceived as a contemporary perspective on the role of the Opera.

The program also includes talks by major artists and institutional leaders. This exchange with the audience illustrates a desire for openness and the updating of living heritage issues. The event is free of charge, and is already attracting a strong demand for bookings.

“November’s roundtable discussions will explore the incredible cultural and political epic of the Palais Garnier.” – Debate organizer, Opéra national de Paris

A living, accessible heritage

The exhibition of costumes until January 2026 represents a rare opportunity to see how the Opéra national combines memory and contemporaneity. This multimodal approach – exhibitions, tours, debates – places the Palais Garnier at the heart of the Parisian cultural agenda. The approach reflects a global movement to enhance the intangible heritage associated with the stage.

Unlike more staid museums, here the public circulates in a place still inhabited by shows. These costumes don’t just belong to the past: many are still in use, reminding us of the balance between tradition and modernity. This proximity to history evokes a special emotion, as our visitors have noted.

The immediate success of ticketing for the Journées du Patrimoine confirms the growing interest in this type of cultural mediation. Paris confirms its position as world capital of the performing arts, with a program that rivals that of the greatest institutions. The Palais Garnier thus becomes a renewed symbol of French artistic identity.

To extend the experience, the Opéra’s 2025 season is part of a similar dynamic of openness, as are new festive addresses such as Cherry, which combine culture and the art of living. These initiatives reinforce the synergy between heritage and cultural events.

Art enthusiasts will find this exhibition a solid benchmark, as much for its rigor as for its mediating role. By linking memory, craftsmanship and public events, the Opéra National demonstrates a model of reliability that is rare in the cultural landscape. For more news, see what to do in Paris or the latest luxury news trends.