5 free exhibitions to enjoy without cost during the May long weekends

5 expositions gratuites pour profiter sans frais des ponts du mois de mai

Beaux Arts Magazine highlights five free exhibitions to enjoy during the long weekends of May 2026 in France. The selections include "Diseuses de silence" at Espace Monte-Cristo in Paris, featuring 21 female sculptors such as Prune Nourry and Niki de Saint Phalle; a retrospective of Ernest Pignon-Ernest at Musée Ziem in Martigues; and the first French retrospective of Peruvian photographer Javier Silva Meinel at Maison de l'Amérique latine in Paris. Other venues mentioned are the Musée Ziem and the Magasins Généraux in Pantin, offering diverse contemporary art experiences without admission fees.

Two Monet paintings have arrived in Hong Kong and entry is completely free

The Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) has opened a new free exhibition titled 'Blooming: The Art of Gardens in East and West', featuring over 100 paintings and artefacts. A major collaboration between the Palace Museum in Beijing, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Palace of Versailles, the show includes masterpieces by Claude Monet—specifically 'Water Lilies' (1906) and 'Water Lily Pond' (1900)—on loan from Chicago, alongside works by Chinese artists such as Leng Mei, Wen Zhengming, and Zhang Daqian. The exhibition explores garden imagery across cultures, from the royal grounds of King Louis XIV to the imperial retreats of Emperor Qianlong, and runs until July 29, 2026, with free admission.

Free Newmarket museum exhibition to celebrate equine art

The National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket is set to host a new free exhibition titled "We Give You The Horse," running from April 29 to May 21. The showcase features paintings and sculptures by prominent members of the Society of Equestrian Artists, including a special loan of an original work by the renowned Sir Alfred Munnings from the Munnings Art Museum.

Metro Events Guide: From art exhibitions to house shows, we’ve got you covered this week in Metro Detroit

This week's Metro Detroit events guide highlights several art exhibitions and cultural happenings from April 23–30. The Elaine L. Jacob Gallery at Wayne State University presents 'Keith Haring: Subway Drawings' (April 17–August 15), featuring 25 drawings created by Haring between 1980 and 1985. Wayne State also hosts its 2026 Undergraduate Art Exhibition (April 24–May 8) showcasing student work in fine arts, art history, and design, with an opening reception on April 24. That same evening, the Wayne State University Graduate Artist Coalition holds an open studio and gallery event with live music and refreshments. Additional events include a 12-hour party at Marble Bar & Lincoln Factory, a house music event by Specter at an undisclosed location, an R&B night at Big Pink, and an Oakland University Film Showcase.

'Walk this way' — Easton welcomes art lovers on First Friday

Easton's downtown art scene came alive during the May First Friday event, with multiple galleries opening their doors to the public. At the Zach Gallery inside the Prager Family Center for the Arts, a new exhibition of paintings by Paton Miller was curated by interior designer Jeffrey Parker. The TRA Gallery, run by the Talbot Arts Council, featured a photography show by Steve Waltrich, Mike Miller, and Maire McCardle. Troika Gallery, Easton's original fine art gallery, also participated, with artist Deborah Elville showing her work. Looking ahead, Zach Gallery announced a June 4 solo exhibition by Rhode Island artist Breath Day Wyndham titled "Gathering the Chesapeake," featuring cyanotypes created from flora and fauna collected from the Chesapeake Bay region.

Try Free Art in Tribeca: A Gallery Walkthrough

A budget-friendly walk through Tribeca's gallery scene highlights two free exhibitions. At Savage Wonderground Tribeca, Brent Owens presents "Fancy Feast," a 24-foot-long banquet table of wooden sculptures mimicking gourmet cat food, with prices ranging from $1,000 to $8,000 but viewing free. At Almine Rech Tribeca, Youngju Joung's "Pause and Flow" features melancholic paintings on traditional Korean paper, memorializing the "moon villages" of displaced working-class citizens from South Korea's urbanization.

New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art Presents “Musical Bodies” Exhibition

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York will open a major exhibition titled "Musical Bodies" on June 7, 2026. The free exhibition will feature over 130 objects, including musical instruments, paintings, sculptures, and drawings, to explore the 4,000-year relationship between musical instruments and the human body. It will be organized into six thematic sections and includes items from ancient Egyptian rattles to a guitar owned by Prince.

Legacy of printmaking highlighted in Sonoma art exhibit

A new exhibition titled “Etched in Sonoma: A Living Legacy” has opened at the Sonoma Community Center, showcasing the art of printmaking through works by 16 local and international artists. Curated by Simon Blattner and Barbara Wells, the free exhibition runs through May 24 in Gallery 212 and includes an opening reception on May 1 with curator talks and live music. The show features prints from Eastside Editions alongside new works created at the center’s Print Studio, which houses the historic Griffin etching press. A public discussion on art collecting, led by Blattner, gallery owner David Keaton, and artist Chester Arnold, is scheduled for May 21.

AOY Art Center announces award winners of the 14th Annual Juried Show

AOY Art Center announced the award winners of its 14th Annual Juried Show, with David Orban taking first place for his oil on cradled wood panel, “Bi-plane and Blue Truck in Red.” Juror Amanda C. Burdan, senior curator at the Brandywine Museum, selected the piece for its surreal use of red. Second place went to Jean Burdick for “Silverton,” a silkscreen on vellum, and third place to Darlene Decker for “For the Monarchs,” an oil painting. The Frumi Cohen Memorial Award was presented to Cathy Hanville for her photograph “What’s for Dinner,” and honorable mentions were awarded to Scott Hoerl and Barbara Kaiser. The exhibition, featuring 135 works from over 425 entries by 150 local artists, is on view through May 3 at the AOY Art Center in Yardley, Pennsylvania, and online.

This free exhibition celebrates the Monogram’s 130th anniversary with a selection of exceptional trunks in Paris.

To mark the 130th anniversary of Louis Vuitton's Monogram canvas, the Parisian auction house Gros & Delettrez is hosting a free exhibition of rare travel trunks and accessories from May 18 to 20, 2026. The display features iconic pieces including two expedition bed trunks (one from 1911 with the initials 'B.B.'), a library trunk, a desk trunk, and other travel innovations designed between 1880 and 1930, all before they go up for auction on May 21.

Celebration of arts and community as free exhibition prepares for return

The Fairwinds Fine Art Exhibition is returning to Cowes Yacht Haven on the Isle of Wight from May 1 to 4, featuring works by 13 local artists. Entry is free, and all proceeds will support the Andrew Cassell Foundation, the Ring Daisy Bus, and Mountbatten Isle of Wight. The exhibition was inspired by the late John Garlick, a sailor and art enthusiast, and is continued by his family and artist Peter Allen.