Musée Guimet - Guimet research plan 2026-2030

Guimet research plan 2026 2030

Part 2 → The Villa Guimet research tools resources and partnerships

Developing a structured

scientific network

The study of Asian collections requires an in - depth knowledge of the historical ,

cultural and technical contexts specific to each type of object . To trace their

provenance – to identify the successive owners , understand their function , choose

the appropriate conservation methods , and even shed light on their original site

– it is necessary to mobilise specialised expertise . Out of context , these objects

often lose their social signif icance in favor of a simple aesthetic value . It is therefore

essential to reconnect Hindu or Buddhist statues , ceramics , paintings , Tibetan

thangkas , bronzes , jades , photographs or illustrated books to the origins of their

creation .

In this perspective , the Musée Guimet , with its curators who are experts in Asian

arts , is at the centre of a national and international scientif ic network as a major

department of Asian arts . It supports museums , which are sometimes limited in

resources , in the study of their Asian collections , by providing methodological

support and pooling of skills .

This network benef its works as much – through the authentication or identif ication

of forgeries , the search for provenances , the study of sources in the original

language , the function of the work , or the study of a regional craze for Asia and an

art market – as well as the search for an enriching dialogue between Asia and

France .

These exchanges make it possible to develop research into mutual inf luences ,

as well as to compare the social , artistic and technical responses that each cultural

area tries to resolve ( architecture ; landscape painting ; funerary rituals ; palatial art ;

formation of artistic movements ; restoration of ceramics ) . Contemporary art , a f ield

for which the Musée Guimet has been developing a global strategy for several

years , will also play a role in these dialogues between works of art and the view

of society .

Federating , supporting ,

strengthening the dialogue

around the Villa Guimet

In this way , the Villa Guimet will contribute to federating and animating a national

network around Asian collections . Solid links have already been established

with many museums as part of the museum ' s territorial strategy ( exhibitions and

loan and deposit policy ) , in particular with the recent deployment of the " Guimet + "

in the regions The exhibitions which have been organized since 2024 lay the f irst

foundations of these scientific cooperations by making it possible to study

the collections in museum reserves and to propose a meeting of Asia around

four predef ined cultural areas China Japan the Indian World and the Himalayan

World The desire in the long term to have Guimet simultaneously in dif ferent

French cities and to circulate the contents by presenting masterpieces from

the national collections accompanied by ambitious mediation tools represents

the keystone of the Musée Guimet s role as a major department of Asian arts

and constitutes the most visible part of it at the national level

Regional and scientific

development strategy

Regional initiatives , lacking a structured national vision , often struggle to reach their

full scientif ic , economic or cultural potential . To remedy this , the Villa Guimet is

embarking on a global strategy aimed at better understanding the Asian collections

present throughout France , developing a solid museum network , and offering

concrete support to institutions , by providing them with the expertise of its scientif ic

team as well as resources and actions accessible from the Villa Guimet .

This strategy will be deployed in three areas :

• Study Asian collections in museums . This includes the study of the

collections in relation to those of the institutions that have received them ,

the analysis of databases ( when they are accessible ) , exchanges with

curators , in situ visits to study the works , the understanding of local

dynamics ( temporary exhibitions , permanent exhibitions , links with the

artists ) . This should make it possible to map these collections and to

develop a f irst document of the distribution of Asian collections in France .

• Def ine and activate the scientif ic role of the Musée Guimet . The aim here

is to play a leading role in the organisation of seminars , training in the study

of Asian collections , the enrichment of the East - West dialogue around

Eurasian arts and civilisations ( conferences , publications , catalogues ) ,

the identif ication of themes to be developed with each institution ( study

of forgeries , questions related to provenance , material , archives , etc . ) ,

the networking of French and international researchers with Asian

museums , the preparation of the next Guimet + in the region or any other

project involving the collections of the Musée Guimet in the region

Identify the role of the Musée Guimet in the cultural programme The aim

is to support East West cultural dialogues dance music calligraphy

approach to matter philosophy poetry to develop tools to immerse the

public in an Asia in motion and more generally to make Asia more

accessible to dif ferent audiences

Yannick Lintz , President of the musée Guimet , at the inauguration ceremony of Guimet + in Clermont - Ferrand