Halloween in Paris: Spend the Evening at the Rodin Museum

For several years now, the Musée Rodin has hosted one of the best Halloween nights in Paris. It’s ideal if you’re not a party animal but still want to feel the Halloween spirit (and if you’re more the playful type, here are other Halloween in Paris ideas) and above all, if you want a good excuse to dress up. We took part for the first time last year (2025), in costume, and loved every minute. Here is how it went, and what you need to know if you’re planning to go this year.

The principle stays the same: for one night, the museum and its gardens are transformed into an immersive, slightly spooky journey, with light, sound, performance and a few surprises along the way. What may change from year to year is the theme and the activities. In 2025, the evening was a descent through the circles of Hell; this year’s theme is “Apparitions and Disparitions”. So take my account as a taste of the atmosphere rather than a programme, and I won’t give everything away.

Last year (2025): a descent into Dante Alighieri’s Inferno

The 2025 storyline drew on Dante’s Inferno, the original subject of Rodin’s famous Gates of Hell, which stand in the museum’s gardens. They’re among the most beautiful and peaceful in the heart of Paris, but they take on a slightly different vibe on October 31st. 

The route began at the beautifully lit museum threshold, led to the Gates of Hell to the sound of a spooky choir, and continued through a chilly, lantern-lit walk in the woods. Light and sound installations did much of the work of building the atmosphere. My favourite moment was that enchanted forest among the sculptures, which suited the setting perfectly, with light and creepy sounds playing across them.

Two other touches stood out. A visit leaflet invited you to look at Rodin’s works differently by changing your framing, and a collective artwork let you try some of his drawing techniques, all linked back to the sculptor’s work. I quite enjoyed these educative approaches.

The Gates of Hell, a cornerstone of Rodin’s work

I can’t talk about this event without a few words on The Gates of Hell, one of the most important works in Rodin’s career. This monumental piece brings together more than 250 groups and figures, including some of his most famous compositions: The Thinker, Ugolino and His Children and Fugit Amor, among others. 

Rodin received the commission in 1880, for a “decorative portal” adorned with “bas-reliefs representing Dante’s Divine Comedy”. He first worked on Dante’s Inferno, the opening part of the Divine Comedy, in which the 13th-century Florentine poet describes his journey through the nine circles of Hell.

Yet, apparently, the work ultimately owes more to Baudelaire’s Flowers of Evil than to Dante. Rodin’s real subject is less the punishment of sins than the exploration of human passions, especially the urges and torments desire awakens in all of us.

To go deeper, the museum has created a dedicated website that decodes each part of the Gates of Hell, explains the six major themes running through the work, and describes what is happening in the different scenes.

You could easily spend hours in front of it and events such as the Welcome to Hell evening allow you to see this major work in a different context, which doesn’t happen very often. 

Costumes at the museum: a very special night

Last but not least, few institutions allow costumes, let alone encourage them, so this really is part of the experience and is only once a year! In 2025, since we were going as a couple, I wanted a pair costume, and after some serious brainstorming I landed on something simple: a witch and her raven.

My witch was a woods witch, shamanic and Celtic in spirit, at one with nature (perhaps a little too much), who wears and communes with the animals that come to end their lives on her threshold. My boyfriend was the raven, carrying a lantern to guide us along the dark paths, which was handy since I couldn’t see much with my headgear on! We were warmly welcomed, and received lots of compliments from both staff and visitors!

So all in all, if you love the Halloween vibe and want to spend your evening in a truly exceptional setting, while learning about art… Musée Rodin’s got you covered. Happy Halloween!