Historical
Find the association's highlights on this page.
Major meetings and significant events in the association's history.
The Society of Friends of the Guimet Museum is proud to have participated in the International Festival of Asian Cinemas with an exceptional jury again this year!
We warmly thank the founders of FICA, Martine and Jean-Marc Thérouanne, for this collaboration! We are delighted to have been represented by a jury for several editions now, which has the opportunity to award two prizes.
The winning films were screened at the Guimet Museum Auditorium from March 4 to 7, 2026, in order to highlight the high quality of these works.
The Friends of Guimet honored in Les Voix de la Photo
As part of our partnership with Marine Lefort, founder of the podcast Les Voix de la Photo (The Voices of Photography), we are pleased to share an interview with Édouard de Saint-Ours, photography historian and curator at the Guimet Museum.
In this interview, Édouard de Saint-Ours discusses his career, his perspective on photography, and the missions and commitment of the Friends of Guimet, which were mentioned during the conversation.
Les Voix de la Photo gives a voice to photography and image professionals. Through these interviews, you will discover the career paths, behind-the-scenes aspects of the profession, and analyses from recognized experts, gaining a deeper understanding of the richness and diversity of the world of photography.
We invite you to watch this interview and continue your exploration:
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A wonderful opportunity to deepen your understanding of photography and support initiatives that bring culture to life.
Collaboration between the Friends of Guimet and the Grand Palais Rmn
We are pleased to announce the new collaboration between the Friends of Guimet and the GrandPalaisRmn, which begins with 3 places offered to the SAMG for the conference “Japonisme, collectors and artists of the 19th century” on November 22, 2025.
An interview with Richard Kan: passion and knowledge of Chinese porcelain
The life of a collector is truly captivating, especially that of a great collector of Chinese porcelain. Yesterday, we had the honor of inviting Richard Kan, an honorary member of the SAMG and owner of one of the world's largest collections of monochrome Chinese porcelain, to give us an enriching and humorous lecture. How does one become a collector? How does one develop expertise in monochrome porcelain? Curious and passionate, the Friends engaged in a lively discussion with Richard, who revealed to us the charm of monochrome Chinese porcelain, remarkable for the finesse of its execution.
We would like to sincerely thank Richard Kan for his fascinating presentation and his contribution to the exhibition “At the Heart of Color - Masterpieces of Monochrome Chinese Porcelain (8th-18th centuries)” at the Guimet Museum.
The Guimet family: blue, travel, passion and heritage
The story begins with blue, a color representing freedom and benevolence, which perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the Guimet family. During the presentation, we discovered the lives of Jean-Baptiste Guimet, inventor of artificial ultramarine blue, and Émile Guimet, founder of the Guimet Museum, both of whom left their mark on French history.
Following Hubert Guimet, Émile Guimet's great-grandson, we traced the history of this illustrious family, particularly the journey of Émile Guimet, a great traveler and collector who left his mark in Egypt, Japan, China, and India. His "acquisition frenzy" during his travels laid the foundation for the Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts, whose treasures continue to dazzle visitors today.
A huge thank you to Hubert Guimet, who traveled to Paris especially to give us this unforgettable presentation. Discover more about the history of the Guimet family and their anecdotes in the book "Jean-Baptiste and Émile Guimet" written by Hubert Guimet!
Franco-Japanese meeting at the House of Japanese Culture
A meeting took place at the Maison de la Culture du Japon (Japan Cultural Center) on April 19, 2024, between the President of the Friends of the Guimet Museum and the President of this prestigious Japanese institution in Paris. Along with their colleagues, Ms. Géraldine Lenain and Mr. Hitoshi Suzuki outlined a plan for joint initiatives focused on Japanese culture. Exchanges of best practices will take place for the benefit of our respective members in our upcoming cultural programs.
SAMG's support for the 2024 Émile Guimet Prize for Asian Literature
The Friends of the Guimet Museum (SAMG) is honored to support the Émile Guimet Prize for Asian Literature, which takes place annually at the Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts. Together with Priti Paul, head of Oxford Bookstore, which awards €5,000 to the winner of the PEGLA each year, we are proud to contribute to showcasing Asian talent on the French literary scene.
Congratulations to Han Kang, winner of the 7th Émile Guimet Prize for Asian Literature for her novel "Impossible Farewells," and to Taiwanese artists Yu Pei-Yun and Zhou Jian-Xin, who were also awarded for their graphic novel "The Son of Taiwan." Bravo to all the shortlisted works, which impress us with their contemporary perspectives on Asia.
Introducing Dākinī Nairātmyā: a new acquisition for the Guimet Museum
On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, an exceptional conference on a new acquisition of the Guimet Museum, Dākinī Nairātmyā, was held in the auditorium. Yannick Lintz, President of the Guimet Museum, and Geraldine Lenain, President of the Friends of the Guimet Museum, opened the conference, followed by Vincent Lefèvre, Director of Conservation and Collections at the Guimet Museum, who explained the significance of this acquisition to our patrons.
We express our gratitude to our patrons for their generosity, which has enabled us to help the Guimet Museum enrich its Himalayan collections with this remarkable 15th-century statuette representing a goddess of Tantric Buddhism. Dākinī Nairātmyā, which means "She who is without ego", now continues her spiritual practice in the Himalayan world room of the Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts.
Meeting with the Friends of the East India Company Museum in Lorient
On February 1, 2024, a meeting took place at the Guimet Museum between our president, Géraldine Lenain, and the President of the Friends of the East India Company in Lorient, Mr. Georges Hesters. This was an opportunity to identify common interests and to forge a relationship between the two associations. Indeed, the East India Company sailed to the Orient and brought back silks, printed cotton fabrics, spices, and porcelain. Last year, the Friends of Guimet were able to visit the museum housed in the citadel of Port Louis, and conversely, the Friends of the East India Company visited the Afghanistan exhibition. These shared interests are reflected among members who, like those pictured here, have chosen to be members of both associations: Ms. Grenier and Mr. Brégent. This meeting promises to spark the possibility of future shared activities.
Rencontre avec Adrian Cheng
On Friday, October 7, 2024, Adrian Cheng met with the administrators of SAMG and visited the Guimet Museum on Place d'Iéna as well as the Hôtel Heidelbach. To learn more about this young, internationally renowned entrepreneur and art enthusiast, you can watch the Arte report (click here) and visit his Instagram profile: https://www.instagram.com/adriancheng/
Visit from Richard Kan
Richard Kan, a major Hong Kong patron of the arts, donated the Kan vase to the Guimet Museum through the SAMG.
This blue and white vase dates from the Yuan dynasty and has joined the Meiping dragon vase in the museum's collections on the 2nd floor: don't hesitate to go and admire it!