Your Definitive Guide to the Most Anticipated European Exhibitions of 2025
Jan. 9, 2025 in Arts & Culture by Julian Everett
The year 2025 promises a remarkable array of art exhibitions across Europe, offering visitors a rare chance to experience centuries of artistic genius in one unforgettable journey. From monumental retrospectives of Renaissance masters to vibrant celebrations of modern and contemporary art, these shows embody the diversity and depth of the European cultural scene.
1. Florence: A Historic Retrospective of Fra Angelico
Why You Should Go:Come autumn, Florence will unveil the largest retrospective of Fra Angelico in five decades, uniting the most iconic works of this pivotal Early Renaissance artist. The exhibition will occupy two venues: the primary showcase in Palazzo Strozzi, and a complementary exhibition at the San Marco monastery, celebrated for its monumental fresco cycle by Fra Angelico. Several key pieces will be specially restored, allowing visitors to experience them in something close to their original glory.
2. Provence: Cézanne’s Legacy at Éx-an-Provence
Why You Should Go:Summer marks the grand reopening of the estate known as Jas de Bouffan—childhood home and later working studio of Paul Cézanne. For the first time ever, around 100 of Cézanne’s masterworks will be reunited in the very place they were created. Visitors will witness paintings sourced from museum collections worldwide, immersed in the actual Provençal landscape that shaped this revolutionary artist’s vision.
3. Belgium: Jules De Bruycker’s Postponed Debut
Why You Should Go:After pandemic-related delays, Belgium finally hosts a retrospective on the outstanding early 20th-century graphic artist Jules De Bruycker. Over 150 of his rarely exhibited watercolors and drawings—capturing whimsical flea markets and hidden corners of Belgian towns—are set to appear. Given the scarcity of opportunities to see his work at such scale, this exhibition is a once-in-a-generation experience.
4. Vienna: A Cultural Odyssey
Why You Should Go:Vienna continues its tradition of offering multiple must-see shows in a single year. The Leopold Museum’s spring exhibition focuses on the final four years of Egon Schiele, exploring the artist’s prolific period just before his untimely death during the Spanish flu outbreak. Meanwhile, the Albertina will showcase Renaissance drawings on colored paper by Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer. Across town, the Kunsthistorisches Museum presents a joint exhibition of Giuseppe Arcimboldo and Pieter Bruegel the Elder, while Belvedere shines a spotlight on Slovenian Impressionism, digital interpretations of Gustav Klimt, a summer show of pioneering women artists of European modernism, and a retrospective on the sculptor Franz Xaver Messerschmidt. This whirlwind schedule demands multiple return visits for any art devotee.
5. Oslo: Medieval Influences on Modernism
Why You Should Go:Launching in February, Oslo hosts a fascinating traveling exhibition on the influence of medieval art on European modernism. Visitors can view works by Arnold Böcklin, Vincent van Gogh, and Edvard Munch, as well as “The Wounded Angel” by Hugo Simberg—an iconic Finnish painting. In the autumn, this same show transitions to Vienna’s Albertina as “Gothic Modernism,” allowing an alternative chance to catch it if you miss the Scandinavian edition.
6. Basel: Northern Landscapes and Beyond
Why You Should Go:Basel’s Fondation Beyeler dedicates its spring to the grandeur of northern nature, spotlighting artists like Edvard Munch and Ivan Shishkin. Almost in parallel, you can also enjoy rare surrealist masterpieces, including Max Ernst’s “The Triumph of Surrealism.” The Kunstmuseum Basel is staging a retrospective of Italian sculptor Medardo Rosso in the spring, followed by a fall showcase on global depictions of ghosts in art history. Meanwhile, Fondation Beyeler will cap the year with a comprehensive review of Yayoi Kusama’s creations, complete with her iconic mirrored installation “My Eternal Love for Pumpkins.”
7. Düsseldorf: Chagall and Provocative Themes
Why You Should Go:The extraordinary Marc Chagall retrospective, currently on view in Vienna, will make its way to Düsseldorf this spring. Though slightly reduced in scope, it remains an unmissable show for Chagall admirers. In the fall, Düsseldorf museums will host two provocative exhibitions: “Sex Now,” examining depictions of sexuality in contemporary art, and “Queer Modernity,” dedicated to the contributions of LGBTQ+ artists to European modernism.
8. Hamburg: The Finale of Surrealism’s Centenary
Why You Should Go:Hamburg culminates the year-long celebration of surrealism with a major summer show following previous editions in Brussels, Paris, and Madrid. This installment highlights the influence of German Romanticism on surrealist artists, focusing on works like Caspar David Friedrich’s “Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog.” In autumn, the Hamburger Kunsthalle will present a grand retrospective of Swedish painter Anders Zorn, whose luminous brushwork influenced many prominent European artists, including Russian masters Valentin Serov and Konstantin Korovin.
9. London: Reawakening Renaissance and Ukiyo-e
Why You Should Go:Art lovers in London can look forward to a spring exhibition at the National Gallery dedicated to the Sienese School of early Renaissance painting. Dozens of key works influenced by Byzantine traditions will be gathered from collections around the globe. Simultaneously, the British Museum will unveil a long-overdue retrospective of the Japanese printmaker Utagawa Hiroshige, shining the spotlight on his artistic achievements beyond the shadow of his more famous contemporary, Katsushika Hokusai. The Victoria and Albert Museum will also feature a noteworthy exhibit exploring Indian art under the Mughal Empire.
10. Paris: Sculptural and Artistic Highlights
Why You Should Go:Paris never disappoints with its annual roster of art events, and 2025 is no exception. In the fall, the Musée d’Orsay will open a major retrospective of Paolo Troubetzkoy, revered for his equestrian statue of Tsar Alexander III in St. Petersburg and numerous portraits of Leo Tolstoy. Additional highlights include a retrospective of Suzanne Valadon at the Pompidou starting in January, a February exhibition at the Picasso Museum examining so-called “degenerate art” under Nazi Germany, and a springtime display of Artemisia Gentileschi at the Musée Jacquemart-André. The year also marks the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral following its extensive post-fire restoration—an attraction in its own right and the perfect complement to Paris’s remarkable museum scene.
Plan Your 2025 Art Journey With these ten major art destinations, Europe reaffirms its status as a global hub for cultural aficionados. Whether you’re drawn by Renaissance masterpieces, the vibrant shocks of modern and contemporary art, or the intimate discoveries of lesser-known creative geniuses, 2025’s exhibitions offer something extraordinary for every visitor. Start planning your itinerary to ensure you don’t miss the chance to witness these once-in-a-lifetime shows.
