Exhibition guide

Cabaret, theater, circus, café-concert, opera, pantomime, music hall... The performing arts are on display at the media library.

Visit details

  • Dates: From Tuesday May 5, 2026 to Sunday June 28, 2026:
  • Venue: Médiathèque Marguerite Yourcenar, 41, rue d'Alleray, Paris
  • Price: free
  • Audience: All audiences
  • Source: Event page

About the exhibition

During the Belle-Époque, Parisian scenes rivaled each other in

proposals to entertain the public. That we wish to be moved by the face

white of a Pierrot, shiver at the macabre stories of the Grand-Guignol, have fun with clown-acrobats, or see Sarah Bernhardt tread the boards, everyone can find a

representation to his taste.

To stand out among this wide range of entertainment,

show posters must catch the eye of passers-by. The artists deploy

all their talents to praise the merits of the stars as much as the rooms,

some of which have passed down to posterity.

Discover the exhibition from May 5 to June 28 in space

Arts (level -1), during opening hours of the media library.

Guided tour of the exhibition Saturday May 16 at 11:30 a.m., free entry (go to reception on the ground floor)

We thank our partners who made the organization possible

of this exhibition: the historical library

of the City of Paris,

the Forney library, and the National Library of France.

On the occasion of the exhibition, we also offer:

A reading aloud session: Saturday Readings on Saturday May 9 at 10:30 a.m.

A participatory piano evening: Margot's piano on Tuesday June 2 at 7 p.m.

A screening of film extracts: Cin’extras on Saturday June 13 at 3 p.m.