Hôtel d'Heidelbach Renovated by Constance Guisset Reopens for Nuit des Musées

The Hôtel d'Heidelbach, now called 'maison Guimet', reopens on May 23 for Nuit des Musées after months of renovation led by designer Constance Guisset. Located at 19 avenue d'Iéna, a minute from the Musée Guimet, the early 20th-century mansion features Chinese ceremonial furniture, a Japanese garden with a tea pavilion, and a tea-tasting room redesigned by Guisset. The renovation aimed for a sober, simple, reversible, and modular approach, as stated by Vincent Billerey, general administrator of Musée Guimet. The visit includes guided tours of reception rooms, the Chinese furniture collection, and the garden, ending with tea tasting. The mansion's decoration, completed in 1915, reflects 18th-century French style, chosen by its original American owners of German Jewish descent to affirm their attachment to French culture. The Coromandel lacquer screens are a highlight. The Japanese tea pavilion, a 2001 gift from Japan, is rarely open. For Nuit des Musées, entry is free with a Korean program featuring lantern festival performances and a meeting with author Hervé Péjaudier on shamanism.