Explore the Archives de la Planète and meet cultures from all over the world, discover the photographic and cinematographic techniques of the early 20th century, and admire the botanical wealth of the heritage garden.
Temporary exhibitions, creations by contemporary artists and special family offers complete this rich itinerary.
Albert Kahn (1860-1940) was a philanthropic and humanist banker.
Sensing the fragility of humanity, he wanted to capture the beauty of the world and the diversity of its peoples, so that they could get to know each other and live in peace.
His operators traveled to some fifty countries over a period of twenty years, bringing back 72,000 autochromes (the first color photography process created by the Lumière brothers), 4,000 stereoscopic plates for 3D views, and 100 hours of film.
His project for a visual inventory of the world, dubbed "Archives de la Planète", is a testimony to future generations, inviting them to follow his motto "keep your eyes open".
The 4-hectare garden features 7 landscape scenes: French garden and orchard-rosery, English garden, Japanese village, contemporary Japanese garden, blue forest and marsh, meadow and golden forest, Vosges forest.
It is embellished by "fabriques": the greenhouse and its palmarium, the Japanese pavilions, the bridges... This garden with scenes, a moving world in miniature, and the buildings that surround it have been listed as historic monuments since 2015.
The installation Lost Models is a reflection on the political and ecological causes of the disappearance of heritage. Sculptor Marina Mankarios, invited by the museum, drew on images produced during two missions to the Near East by Albert Kahn's operators: Auguste Léon in Egypt in 1914 and Frédéric Gadmer in Syria in 1921.
In the Salle des Plaques, where the autochromes from Archives de la Planète were stored in 1920, discover his casts made from details of images of the destroyed site of Palmyra and the temple of Kôm Ombo, threatened by rising waters.
Programming around the installation :
Meet the artist
Come and discover the sculptural work of Marina Mankarios, artist in residence in the Salle des Plaques. Join us for a guided tour of the artist's universe and her reinterpretation of the Archives de la Planète.
- Sunday, December 1 at 2pm
- Sunday, January 26, 4pm
- Wednesday, February 19, 4pm
- Sunday, March 23, 2pm
Family workshop (ages 7 and up)
Come and model your own hieroglyphs! Using images of Egypt preserved in the Archives de la Planète, Marina Mankarios introduces you to modeling and casting. After visiting her installation, come and create your own bas-relief with your family.
- Sunday, December 1, 3.30pm
- Sunday, January 26, 2pm
- Wednesday, February 19, 2pm
- Sunday, March 23, 10:30 a.m.
Round Table
Using Palmyra as an example, guests will discuss the memory of archaeological sites in the context of war, between rewriting history and memorial issues. With Michel Al Maqdissi, Mathilde Mura
- Sunday March 23, 2025 at 3 pm
Mondes en commun: the Albert-Kahn museum's photography festival
The Musée Départemental Albert-Kahn puts contemporary photography in the spotlight with its Mondes en Commun festival. Discover its new edition from May 17 to September 7, 2025. [Read more]
The Albert Kahn Museum's superb Japanese garden and other gardens that take us on a journey
The Musée Albert Kahn, which has just reopened its doors, unveils sublime gardens that are a must-see. Conceived as a scenic garden, this 4-hectare space features a magnificent Japanese garden and village, an English garden, a French garden and forests and meadows. A complete change of scenery. [Read more]
Location
Albert-Kahn Museum
2 Rue du Port
92100 Boulogne Billancourt
Official website
albert-kahn.hauts-de-seine.fr
Instagram page
@museealbertkahn
More information
The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday: - 11am to 6pm (October to March) - 11am to 7pm (April to September) Closed during the first half of January, May 1 and December 25 Last admission at 5pm, museum and garden close at 5:30pm Full price €9, concessions €6, free for under-26s.