Arc de Triomphe opens Triumph by Night on 28 October
Published on 10/18/2026 at 08:45 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The Arc de Triomphe in Paris will host Triumph by Night from 28 October 2026, an exhibition examining how the monument has been used and represented after dark. The display continues until 26 March 2027 and is presented in partnership with the City of Paris.
Triumph by Night opens at the Arc de Triomphe on 28 October
The exhibition brings together images and documentary material about night-time ceremonies, gatherings and events connected with the monument. Its themes include memory, urban life, the arts, sport and sustainability, linking the building's historical role with questions about public lighting and the changing use of urban heritage.
The presentation is curated by Viviana Gobbato-Guimendego and Isabelle Rouge Ducos. The programme is due to include guided tours, lecture-tours, storytelling tours, creative workshops, talks and conferences. The organiser also says that the monument's poet-in-residence programme will welcome Sophie Loizeau for its third edition, focused on the theme of night. The exhibition programme places the main display in the Salle des Palmes.
The Salle des Palmes connects the exhibition with the monument's history
The Salle des Palmes is a rarely opened part of the monument. It held the remains of the Unknown Soldier in 1920, before his burial beneath the arch, giving the exhibition's focus on remembrance a direct connection with the building.
Construction began in 1806 after Napoleon I commissioned an arch for the Grande Armée. Jean-François Thérèse Chalgrin and Jean-Arnaud Raymond prepared the initial plans, while later architects continued the project after work was suspended. The monument was finally inaugurated on 29 July 1836 after three decades of construction. Its long building history is recorded by the official history of the monument.
Triumph by Night therefore places a modern exhibition in a room tied to national remembrance, while its wider subject reflects the arch's continuing role as a setting for public ceremonies. The exhibition's sections also move beyond military history to consider artistic and civic activity after sunset.
Lift maintenance changes the route to the exhibition
The lift is currently out of service, so visitors must use the stairs to reach the upper parts of the monument. The Centre des monuments nationaux states that access has been limited to 284 steps since late July 2026, with renovation work planned and a return to service expected in 2027. A report on the planned elevator renovation describes a project requiring work on the roof and terrace.
Visiting Arc de Triomphe: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Triumph by Night runs at the Arc de Triomphe from 28 October 2026 to 26 March 2027, with the exhibition located in the Salle des Palmes.
- The lift is out of service during the exhibition period, and access to the monument's upper areas currently requires 284 steps.
- The monument stands at Place Charles de Gaulle in Paris. The entrance is via the Passage du Souvenir at the top of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées or the Avenue de la Grande-Armée.
- Charles-de-Gaulle-Étoile station is served by metro lines 1, 2 and 6 and RER A, with several bus routes also stopping nearby.
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Frequently asked questions about Arc de Triomphe
When does Triumph by Night take place at Arc de Triomphe?
The exhibition runs from 28 October 2026 to 26 March 2027 in the Salle des Palmes.
Where is Arc de Triomphe and how do you get there?
It is at Place Charles de Gaulle in Paris, near Charles-de-Gaulle-Étoile station, served by metro lines 1, 2 and 6 and RER A.
What is Arc de Triomphe?
It is a Paris monument commissioned in 1806 and inaugurated in 1836, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath its arch.
