New Paris museum celebrates Hector Guimard, the forgotten designer of the “Métropolitain” signs

A new museum entirely devoted to the work of French architect and designer Hector Guimard, one of the leading figures of the French Art Nouveau movement, is soon to open in Paris. While his iconic wrought-iron Métro entrances have become enduring symbols of the city, Guimard’s legacy has long been marginalized and criticized for its decorative excesses. In line with the wishes of his wife, Adeline Oppenheim Guimard, the new cultural space will be housed in the Hôtel Mezzara, a refined residence designed by Guimard in 1910 in the city’s 16th arrondissement, which over time was converted from a private home into a girls’ boarding school.

After years of unsuccessful negotiations to secure the building for cultural purposes, the Cercle Guimard—an association that has worked for over two decades to safeguard and promote the architect’s legacy—has finally obtained a 50-year lease for the site. The acquisition was made possible thanks to the financial backing of Hector Guimard Diffusion, a company founded by collector Fabien Choné, with the aim of transforming the building into the heart of a new institution. The museum is scheduled to open between late 2027 and early 2028, following an estimated €6 million restoration project.

Inside this emblem of the Gesamtkunstwerk ideal, the exhibition will present a narrative that combines Guimard’s modular and decorative design language with the evocative power of his objects: cast-iron railings, floral balconies, sinuous street lamps, and original Métro entrances. Alongside these metal and glass creations, the museum will showcase ceramics, furnishings, documents, and photographs that form the core of the archives entrusted to the Cercle Guimard. Over the years, the association has also worked to establish an editorial and digital archive center, publishing reissues and supporting digitization initiatives. One of the museum’s most compelling features will be the virtual reconstruction of the Humbert de Romans concert hall, a little-known architectural masterpiece designed by Guimard in 1901. Once restored in part, this immersive experience will allow the public to rediscover the forgotten splendor of one of his most ambitious projects.

Opening image: Hotel Mezzara, photo Pedro Correia on Unsplash