Panthéon Bouddhique, Asian art museum in Hôtel d'Heidelbach, Paris, France
The Panthéon Bouddhique is an art museum housed in a former private mansion at 19 Avenue d'Iéna and contains around 250 Japanese artworks and Chinese artifacts. The building displays religious and artistic objects within a historic setting that presents the collection pieces in their original context.
The building was constructed in 1913 by architect René Sergent for banker Alfred Heidelbach and reflects the architecture of that period. It became part of the Guimet Museum collection after its acquisition in 1955 and has served as a branch for Asian art.
The collection arranges objects following Buddhist temple structures, organizing them by saints, Shinto deities, wisdom kings, bodhisattvas, and buddhas. This layout helps visitors understand the spiritual meaning of each piece.
The museum occupies the Hôtel Heidelbach at 19 Avenue d'Iéna in the 16th arrondissement, a short walk from the Iéna metro station. The Japanese tea pavilion stands in the garden, not inside the building, and tea ceremonies there are held on reservation. Check opening days before planning a visit.
The 250 Japanese works were gathered by Émile Étienne Guimet on his 1876 trip to Japan, before the museum existed. They are displayed as in a Buddhist temple, arranged in six ranks from saints and Shinto and Hindu deities through wisdom kings and bodhisattvas up to buddhas.
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