Exhibition "The Empire of Sleep" Marmottan Monet Museum from October 9, 2025, to March 1, 2026

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Dive into an artistic and scientific exploration of sleep through the centuries. The exhibition The Empire of Sleep at the Marmottan Monet Museum unveils nearly 100 works blending dreams, eroticism, symbolism, and neurology for a unique immersion into the mysteries of our nights. Discover it from October 2025.

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€14

Exhibition "The Empire of Sleep"

Entry ticket: Exhibition + Museum

A universal and fascinating theme: sleep explored through nearly 100 works, from Antiquity to contemporary art.
A multidisciplinary journey: paintings, drawings, sculptures, objects, and documents in dialogue with science, philosophy, and psychoanalysis.
An immersive scenography: a reconstructed bedroom, atmospheres conducive to daydreaming and introspection.
A scientific and artistic perspective: exploration of dreams, nocturnal eroticism, nightmares, and medical practices related to sleep.
Expert curators: Laura Bossi (neurologist and historian of science) and Sylvie Carlier (director of collections).
An intimate setting: the Marmottan Monet Museum, a peaceful and refined place in the heart of Paris's 16th arrondissement.
Temporary event: exhibition open only from October 9, 2025, to March 1, 2026.
Guided tours and audioguides: to enrich the discovery and deepen the themes.
Reservation recommended: limited visitor numbers per time slot, high attendance expected for this unprecedented event.

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What to expect

And what if we could travel through the mysteries of sleep, following the paths of art, science, and philosophy?** That’s what the Marmottan Monet Museum in Paris offers with the exceptional exhibition The Empire of Sleep, presented from October 9, 2025, to March 1, 2026. More than just a visit, this exhibition is a true sensory and intellectual experience designed to question our intimate relationship with sleep, the unconscious, and dreams.

🌙 The Empire of Sleep – An artistic and sensory dive into the heart of our nights

A unique exhibition not to be missed

For centuries, sleep has fascinated artists, thinkers, and scientists alike. It embodies rest, surrender, bodily fragility, but also the power of imagination. With The Empire of Sleep, the Marmottan Monet Museum invites visitors to see and feel this richness through about a hundred carefully selected works. The thoughtfully designed journey allows you to discover paintings, drawings, sculptures, objects, and documents from various periods and styles: from Romanticism to the avant-garde, including antique and contemporary works.

Each section of the exhibition highlights a different facet of sleep: the peaceful sleep of a child, biblical visions, daydreams, the eroticism of slumbering bodies, as well as nightmares and nocturnal disorders. Through these themes, the full complexity of the human condition is explored in a constant dialogue between art and knowledge.

A multidisciplinary and immersive approach

This unique project is the result of a collaboration between two curators with complementary expertise: Laura Bossi, neurologist and historian of science, and Sylvie Carlier, director of collections at the museum. Together, they have crafted an itinerary that goes beyond simple artistic contemplation by integrating philosophical, scientific, and psychoanalytical dimensions.

Visitors are thus invited to reflect on the mechanisms of sleep, its functions, and representations, while also allowing themselves to be carried away by atmospheres conducive to reverie. Among the most striking sections is the reconstruction of a bedroom, an intimate and symbolic space par excellence. In this scenographic cocoon, the boundaries between wakefulness and dreaming blur.

The exhibition also gives a unique place to medical and pseudoscientific practices that have tried to decipher or control sleep, such as mesmerism, hypnosis, or the study of nocturnal disorders. A fertile dialogue between art and science emerges to awaken the spectator’s curiosity.

An iconic venue: the Marmottan Monet Museum

Located in a quiet neighborhood of Paris’s 16th arrondissement, the Marmottan Monet Museum is a true jewel for this exhibition. Known for its exceptional Impressionist collection—especially the works of Claude Monet—this intimate museum offers a hushed atmosphere ideal for introspection.

Far from the hustle and bustle of large cultural institutions, the venue allows for a comfortable visit at your own pace. The scenography of The Empire of Sleep has been thoughtfully designed to harmonize with the museum’s volumes and elegant architecture, making the experience even more fluid and immersive.

Practical information: what you need to know

The exhibition is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a late opening every Thursday until 9 p.m. Last admission is one hour before closing, so it is recommended to allow enough time to fully enjoy the visit.

Tickets:

Full price: €14
Reduced price: €9 (students, teachers, job seekers, etc.)
Free for children under 7 years old
Audioguide (French/English): +€4

Guided tours are also offered by certain partner agencies, including skip-the-line tickets, audiophone listening, and in-depth cultural mediation. These visits last about 1.5 hours and provide a sensitive yet well-documented perspective on the works. The average price is €29, by reservation only.

Why book now?

Given the originality of the theme, the richness of the content, and the quality of the scenography, this exhibition promises to be one of the major cultural events of autumn-winter 2025/2026 in Paris. Since the Marmottan is relatively small, the number of visitors per time slot is limited to guarantee an optimal experience. It is therefore highly recommended to book your tickets in advance, especially for weekends, school holidays, and Thursday late openings.

Additionally, by booking online, you can benefit from preferred time slots, avoid queues, and plan your visit with peace of mind. If you want to enjoy the guided tour or audioguide, booking ensures their availability.

An experience to be enjoyed alone, with family, or with friends

The Empire of Sleep is not only for art lovers. Its transversal approach will appeal to humanities enthusiasts, psychology curious, dreamers, teachers, and those interested in rituals and collective imaginations. It’s an exhibition to be shared: as a couple, with friends, or with curious teenagers—everyone will find something to marvel at, reflect on, or even be moved by.

Conclusion

Combining beauty, reflection, and emotion, The Empire of Sleep offers you a journey into the mysterious universe of the night. By exploring representations of sleep in art and science, this exhibition provides a poetic and stimulating interlude in the heart of the Parisian winter. Book your place now for this rare, intimate, and universal experience.

Offer your group a captivating immersion into the world of sleep!

Organizing an event for a group of more than 10 people?

Explore together the mysteries of dreams and the unconscious through a unique artistic and sensory exhibition. Book your slot now by filling out the group visit form.

Feel free to contact us at +33 1 48 74 05 10 for any requests.

Common questions

What are the opening hours?

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a late opening on Thursdays until 9 p.m. The last admission is one hour before closing.

Where is the Marmottan Monet Museum located?

It is located at 2 rue Louis-Boilly, 75016 Paris, easily accessible by public transport (La Muette station – line 9).

What is the theme of the exhibition?

The exhibition explores the representation of sleep in art, combining artistic, scientific, symbolic, and philosophical perspectives on the subject.

Which periods are represented?

The works mainly date from the 19th century and early 20th century, with forays into Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and contemporary times.

How many works are exhibited?

About one hundred pieces are presented, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, scientific objects, and historical documents.

Who designed this exhibition?

It was designed by Laura Bossi, a neurologist and historian of science, and Sylvie Carlier, director of collections, with the participation of Anne-Sophie Luyton.