Euphoria at the Grand Palais: Bubbles, Balloons & Buzz

The Grand Palais has officially reopened—and it’s more spectacular than ever. After four years of meticulous renovation, this Parisian icon has been completely transformed: think restored glass domes, 40 new lifts, a reopened west wing, cafés, kids’ zones and open public vistas not seen since the 1930s. It’s lighter, grander, and finally, fully back.

To celebrate, the Grand Palais has invited Euphoria—the travelling immersive exhibition by the Balloon Museum—to take over the newly unveiled nave until 7 September 2025. And yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like: huge inflatable artworks, light-and-sound installations, sensory tunnels, a “bubble bath” of black balls with 360° visuals, and more air-themed joy than you knew you needed. Euphoria features around 20 monumental interactive installations by leading international artists, including Parreno, Creed, Minujín, Hyperstudio & team, Lozano-Hemmer, Gander, Murakami, Smigla-Bobinski, Lancelin, Schweder, Völker, Walala, Yitian, SpY, and MOTOREFISICO.

Euphoria not only delivers a breathtaking collision of art and play but also marks the Grand Palais’s new era as an accessible, family-friendly cultural hub. The exhibition’s scale and ambition mirror the building’s restored architecture and renewed vibrancy.

Each installation plays with scale and perception—giant balloons, immersive light-and-sound environments, and spaces you can slip into or touch—inviting guests to become part of the art through movement and gesture.

It’s dazzling, interactive, and Instagram catnip.

One of the most striking highlights of Euphoria is the enormous balloon pool—a vast sea of black inflatable balls that invites visitors to dive in, wade through, or simply float atop. It’s both surreal and sensory, surrounded by 360° projections and immersive sound that shift as you move, creating the illusion of swimming through space or shadow. Equal parts playful and hypnotic, it's a moment of total escapism!

The Grand Palais is a cultural playground, and this is only one of several exhibitions now running. Whether you’re chasing balloons or kinetic sculpture, it’s well worth a visit this summer.

Expect a large number of small children running (and bouncing) around the Euphoria exhibition - as sweet as it is to watch, it also makes it feel a little like a high-design playground, making it slightly hard to enjoy the installations....so try to go early morning or just before closure!

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