Triumph by Night

An iconic monument of France, the Arc de Triomphe is often depicted in daylight. Yet, since its construction, it has been the venue for major night-time ceremonies, events and gatherings. 

The exhibition "Triumph by Night" (Triomphe, la nuit), on display at the Arc de Triomphe from 28 October 2026 to 26 March 2027 in partnership with the City of Paris, recounts and explores this historical and contemporary dimension through a unique collection of images and documentary material. 

Curated by Viviana Gobbato-Guimendego and Isabelle Rouge Ducos, the exhibition reminds us that the Arc de Triomphe also exists at night, and shows how its nocturnal uses radically transform our perception of it and help to construct a different representation of the monument.

The exhibition "Triumph by Night" forms part of the revitalised cultural programme that the Arc de Triomphe has been enjoying for several years and presents the monument from a new angle — that of a little-known nocturnal history which has nevertheless shaped it. 

Thus, for the first time, an exhibition focuses on an iconic historic monument of the City of Light — the Arc de Triomphe — and the nocturnal events that have helped shape its identity: memory, urban life, the arts, sport and sustainability. More broadly, the exhibition shows how heritage is transformed by its lighting and the new institutional, commemorative, artistic and popular uses that this enables. It also explores the issue of the illumination of public buildings at a time when cities are being called upon to rethink their public lighting in the context of the ecological transition.

Housed in a part of the Arc that is rarely open to the public – the Salle des Palmes, which held the remains of the Unknown Soldier in 1920 prior to his burial – the exhibition is structured around three main sections: ‘Tribute and Memory’, ‘Urban Life at Night’, ‘Utopia of Lights: Arts and Entertainment’ — and the special feature ‘Towards a Sustainable Night’. It also features an educational area where visitors can explore these issues in greater depth. 

Viviana Gobbato-Guimendego

Viviana Gobbato-Guimendego holds a PhD in museology from the Sorbonne Nouvelle University and is a lecturer at Paris-Saclay University and a research associate in heritage studies at the Centre for the Cultural History of Contemporary Societies (CHCSC). She is also Head of the Cultural and Educational Department at the Arc de Triomphe–CMN. She is the author of books on museum and heritage lighting: Au-delà du regard (L’Harmattan, 2024) and Éclairer les musées (MkF éditions, 2025).

Isabelle Rouge Ducos

Isabelle Rouge Ducos holds a PhD in Art History from the EPHE and is a graduate of the École des Chartes. She is a researcher at the Mission for the Research and Restitution of Cultural Property Looted between 1933 and 1945 at the Ministry of Culture. Her work focuses on^19th-centurymonumental sculpture. She is notably the author of a book dedicated to the monument L’Arc de triomphe de l’Étoile: panthéon de la France guerrière (Éditions Faton, 2008).

A range of cultural activities will be on offer throughout the duration of the exhibition: guided tours, lecture-tours, storytelling tours and creative workshops aimed at families, the general public, schoolchildren, after-school groups and those working in the social sector. 

A series of talks and conferences will also be organised both within the monument and off-site, in partnership with the City of Paris.

In conjunction with the exhibition, the Arc de Triomphe’s poet-in-residence programme will welcome author Sophie Loizeau for its third edition, focusing on the theme of the night.

In partnership with

City of Paris

The exhibition was supported by 

Zumtobel Group Secret Journeys

Production

AtoY | Exhibition design and graphicsMPI Action | InstallationExpograph | SignageDIA’RTIST | ReproductionsZumtobel Lighting | Lighting