Musée d’Orsay hosts exhibition on Statue of Liberty creator Auguste Bartholdi

The Musée d’Orsay is hosting a major exhibition titled ‘Auguste Bartholdi. La Liberté éclairant le monde’ (Auguste Bartholdi. Liberty Enlightening the World), dedicated to the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty. Running from September 15, 2026, until January 31, 2027, the exhibition commemorates the 140th anniversary of the statue’s inauguration and the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The showcase explores the history of the monument, from its conceptual origins sparked by jurist Édouard Laboulaye to the technical complexities involving Gustave Eiffel. It highlights Bartholdi’s role as an organizer who used public campaigns and large-scale models to secure funding. The exhibition features archives and a 35-minute virtual reality experience that allows visitors to engage with historical figures like Joseph Pulitzer and witness the monumental construction process.