As promised. There is an amazing exhibit at the Musee Guimet and the Centre Cultural de Chine of 10 centures of Buddhist Art from the unique UNESCO World Heritage Site – the Dunhuang Caves in the Gobi Desert. Dunhuang is an oasis and was a major caravan stop. Buddhist monks and devotees spent their lives carving and painting Buddhas in the caves, from very small to very big (think Bamiyan).
The Musee Guimet and the Chinese Cultural Center are sharing the exhibit, so you have to go to both. It’s a chance to experience a part of the World Heritage simply by going to Paris – think Culture With Croissants (rather than sand and camels).
The Musee Guimet is the legacy of Emile Guimet, a Lyons industrialist who wanted to open a museum dedicated to religions of Ancient Egypt, Classical Antiquity, and Asia. He travelled extensively and brought back the nucleus of an amazing collection, which is housed now in a mansion in Paris (Galleries of the Buddhist Pantheon, at 19, Avenue d’Iena, 75116, Paris).
Meanwhile, take advantage of this amazing opportunity. And it’s free!
Musée Guimet
6 place d’Iéna
75116 Paris
Tel : 01 56 52 53 00
Centre culturel de Chine
1 boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg
75007 Paris
Tel : 01 53 59 59 20