Local before arrival
When Émile Guimet (1836–1918), industrialist and world traveler from Lyon, opened his museum in 1889, nobody could have anticipated that it would one day house the largest collection of Asian art outside of Asia. Continuously expanded through purchases and donations, the collection now showcases the art and culture of 17 Asian countries. The museum also includes the Buddhist Pantheon with its Japanese garden, a library, and a unique sound archive with more than 3,000 samples.
