A Guided tour of the Guimet Museum allows you to discover Asian art in all its diversity. Between permanent and temporary collections, you can explore unique and rare works. This is an opportunity to learn more about major pieces from Asia.
Visit to the Guimet Museum in Paris
Visit Guimet Museum, also called National Museum of Asian Arts Guimet, is one of the largest museums dedicated to Asian art in existence. It is quite simply the most comprehensive collection in the world, and the largest in Europe.
5,500 m² dedicated to Asian arts, and tens of thousands of objects on display.
It's a few minutes' walk from the Trocadéro, in the heart of the 16th arrondissement of Paris, at Place d'Iéna. For art and history lovers, this museum is a must-visit during a trip to Paris.
Founded by the eminent Lyonnais industrialist Émile Guimet, this museum was inaugurated in 1889. It was initially dedicated to the religions of the world before its focus shifted exclusively to Asian arts. Its richness lies in the exhibition of one of the most comprehensive collections of Asian arts in the world.
The diversity of the works presented makes this museum a must-visit for anyone interested in’History of Asian Art.
Sculptures, paintings, textiles, books: admire true treasures from all over Asia.
India, China, Japan, Korea, the Himalayas: a lifetime would be needed to detail everything!
With Guides Tourisme Services, enjoy an exciting guided tour and discover the most beautiful wonders of the Asian world.
Permanent and temporary collections
At the Guimet Museum in Paris, you can discover permanent collections as well as temporary and even virtual, or monumental exhibitions!
For example, the installation «Guardians of Time,» exhibited until February 2025.
Asian art
The heart of the Guimet Museum is its Permanent collections. These include works of art from all major Asian civilizations. The galleries are organized by geographical region, and you will follow a sort of initiatory journey through the cultures of the Asian continent.
You can find sculptures, paintings, religious objects, ceramics, and many other art forms there.
For example, in the section dedicated to India, you will discover many sculptures or pieces of furniture, such as «The Great Departure,» a 2nd-century Buddhist limestone sculpture.
In the section on China, it's an incredible total of approximately 20,000 works covering 7 millennia of Chinese history that you can discover.
Major parts
It's difficult to estimate or cite which would be the major pieces to come and see in this temple of Asian art.
Among the museum's most remarkable works, one can mention the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara from Cambodia, an imposing sandstone sculpture nearly 2m high, characteristic of Phnom Da art.
The library contains plus 100,000 books,journals, manuscripts. Tibetan, Mongolian, Burmese books... but also incredible paintings.
The museum also houses nearly 2,000 art objects from the Himalayan world, sometimes representing Buddha, sometimes Vishnu…
Japanese kimonos, dancers' costumes, and even a firefighter's jacket from the Edo period.
Let us also mention the bronze Shiva Nataraja, dated to the 11th century, from South India.
Or the so widespread and famous « Vague » d’Hokusai, dated from the early 1830s in Japan.
Temporary exhibitions
The Guimet Museum regularly offers temporary exhibitions that explore specific themes related to Asian art.
The museum aims to maintain close ties with Asian countries and their major museums. It continues to develop while respecting Guimet's wishes. The objective is to better promote civilizations and create strong links between countries.
Each year, superb temporary exhibitions are on display, such as «The Gold of the Ming Dynasty,» which retraces the power of imperial China. Splendid jewels, masterpieces of Chinese goldsmithing, are exhibited. Gold or jade adornments, scepters, hairpins...
You will be astonished!
The National Museum of Asian Arts Guimet
Visit National Museum of Asian Arts Guimet is distinguished by the richness of its collections, but also by its architecture. The building, designed in the 19th century, has been modernized several times while retaining its original charm. Its vast halls and bright galleries immerse you among millennia-old objects of incredible historical value.
Visit Guimet Museum also plays an important role in promoting the Asian art research. Many speakers, historians, and experts From all over the world come to study its collections and publish specialized works. This research is essential for a better understanding of the history and artistic techniques of Asian civilizations.
The museum also has an educational role: it offers workshops, conferences, podcasts, and guided tours for adults and children, allowing all audiences to deepen their knowledge of Asian art.
The advantages of a guided tour with a tour guide
Guides Tourisme Services is the agency specializing in organizing guided tours with professionals who love to share their knowledge and passion.
Call for a Paris tourist guide Visiting the Guimet Museum offers many advantages. Your guide will help you understand the different works, their place in the museum, and the history surrounding each object.
Your tour guide is full of knowledge and can answer many questions, deepening your understanding!
For families, and especially children, the guided tour is much more fun and interactive, it's an excellent way to discover ancient artifacts with enthusiasm and interest.
For any information or reservations, contact us!
