Doisneau: Paris les Halles is a photography exhibition at Hôtel de Ville from February 8 through April 28, 2012. Robert Doisneau's images capture the genuine character of Les Halles and its people from the 1930s through the 1970s. BonjourParis executive editor Dali Wiederhoft tells the back story and why this show is a must for Parisphiles.

BonjourParis arts editor at large Lindsey Marsh reviews current Paris art exhibitions. Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris is showing Baselitz sculpteur and Any Ever by young American artists Ryan Trecartin and Lizzie Fitch. At the neighboring Palais de Tokyo, Swiss artist John M. Armleder curates his own show in the annual Carte Blanche exhibition.

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Though many Paris travelers visit classical art museums, the Paris avant-garde art scene is thriving. Major collectors cruise Paris art galleries and internationally respected shows like FIAC in search of acquisitions. BonjourParis arts editor Lindsey Marsh notes Paris contemporary galleries and museums worth a stop, ideally for a vernissage.

The current Grand Palais exhibition, "Matisse, Cézanne, Picasso... L’aventure des Stein" drew international attention before opening, fueled partly by its connections to Gertrude Stein and the film "Midnight in Paris." BonjourParis arts editor Lindsey Marsh reviews the show and explains how Gertrude Stein and siblings built one of the world's top art collections.

Musée Maillol, Fondation Dina Vierny is now showing the fascinating "Pompeii—A Way of Life." It's the first time a French museum exhibit recreates early Western Civilization life in Pompeii before the Mount Vesuvius volcano of 79AD. Lindsey Marsh describes show highlights brought to life at this exhibition that allows visitors to experience Pompeii.

The Louvre Museum is one of the world's largest and most visited museums. It's overwhelming to adults, and even more so to small children. Mira Saxena shares her experience about visiting the Louvre with her children and the guide who helped her family beat the mobs through the Louvre while putting exhibits into a context understood and enjoyed by the kids.

Ernest Cognacq and Marie-Louise Jay founded Samaritaine in 1900, then the largest Paris department store. Agnès Dupont previews a visit to the Cognacq-Jay Museum, where you may walk among their exquisite collection of 18th-century fine art and furnishings from their personal home.

PHOTOQUAI, the popular outdoor photography exhibition held at the Musée du quai Branly since 2007, is now up. Displays extend into the museum’s gardens and several satellite exhibit spaces, including the Eiffel Tower Gallery. Lindsey Marsh presents an exhibition overview with a suggested stroll past other famous Paris landmarks along the Seine.