The Journées du Patrimoine is the place to be for enthusiasts and the curious who are thirsty for good cultural deals. During this exceptional weekend, Parisians of all ages are invited to take over cultural sites and new addresses to enjoy a great program, often free, of visits and workshops designed for all ages.
Every year, museums, monuments, castles, mansions and churches, as well as ministries, embassies and major institutions, join in the fun with special events. There's no question of missing the next and 41st edition, on the weekend of September 20 and 21, 2025.
It's an opportunity to conquer the capital's little-known monuments. Located on theÎle-de-Saint Louis, on the banks of the Seine, the Bibliothèque Polonaise de Paris is one such place. Founded in 1838 by Polish refugees in France, it also houses three confidential museums: the Adam Mickiewicz Museum, dedicated to the famous Polish Romantic poet; the Biegas Museum, in honor of sculptor Boleslas Biegas ; and the Frédéric Chopin Salon, named after the famous composer.
The Adam Mickiewicz Museum presents the life and work of Adam Mickiewicz (1798-1855), Poland's greatest Romantic poet. It was established by his son Władysław in 1903. Mickiewicz is to Poles what Goethe is to Germans: a symbol of national identity and cultural unity. A political émigré and pilgrim of freedom, he spent much of his life in Paris, where he forged illustrious friendships and lectured brilliantly at the Collège de France. For today's Europeans, Mickiewicz is one of the first visionaries of a united Europe.
The Salon Chopin is the only venue in France dedicated to Poland's greatest composer, Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849). Exiled to Paris in 1831, Chopin lived there until his death. He became the legendary pianist of the Salon Pleyel, the composer of the famous polonaises, mazurkas, ballades and waltzes, and also the most admired teacher in Paris, the European capital of Romanticism.
The Musée Boleslas Biegas, inaugurated by the SHLP with the support of Guido Biazzi and Claude Kechichian, presents a selection of collections from the legacy of Boleslas Biegas (1877 - 1954), an artist, sculptor, painter and playwright of Polish origin, linked to the Viennese Secession movement, who lived in Paris since 1901 surrounded by friends from the Symbolist milieu of the "La Plume" circle. The museum displays works by Biegas, whose sculptures were more highly regarded than Rodin's, as well as those by other Polish artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Bibliothèque Polonaise de Paris
Polish Historical and Literary Society - The essence of society
Society can be defined as a particular state to which certain beings adhere when they live in more or less numerous and organized groups. "Society is the union of men and not of men", according to Montesquieu, who thus defines the essence of a community of minds of certain beings. PLSH was not founded as a simple form of institution with a specific purpose, but as a kind of congregation founded to carry out a common action far more complex than simple political or cultural action. This action consisted in realizing the Polish spirit in France through the power of thought and word. From this perspective, the SHLP was an essential society...
The Polish Historical and Literary Society (SHLP) is a unique institution, continuing its activities since 1854 (170 years!) at the same location, 6, quai d'Orléans. The SHLP is an important center of intellectual exchange and, until 2025, will be the administrator of the Bibliothèque Polonaise de Paris (BPP), founded in 1838.
To arouse the curiosity of the general public, exhibition 2025 presents an overview of the activities of this 19th-century institution and its incomparable collections. It also presents remarkable personalities: statesmen, national heroes, writers, poets, artists, inventors, explorers and scientists.
The world as a labyrinth. Moreau. Biegas. Garcia Contreras.
11.09 - 31.10.25
Curators: Anna Czarnocka and Agnieszka Wiatrzyk
This new exhibition featuring the three artists Gustave Moreau (1826-1898), Boleslas Biegas (1877-1954) and Alejandro Garcia Contreras (1982-) offers a revisited history of Symbolism in a single time and place. Between the first and last works, the distinction between modern and contemporary art, with its ambivalences, dissolves. The topography expands: for Moreau, enfant terrible of the fin-de-siècle, his life is refined and ends in Paris; Biegas, son of a Mazovian peasant, is imbued with Slavic folklore and beliefs; his art and know-how are forged as the artist crosses Europe from East to West. As for contemporary Garcia Contreras, he discovers his taste for metaphysics in Chiapas, the ancestral land of the Mayas, deep in the Mexican jungle. None of these three stories is complete without the bestiary of imaginary beings, the nature of infinity, mirrors, drifting, parallel realities, identity, the intangible... so that everyone, intimately, finds their own labyrinth.
Le monde comme un labyrinthe brings together forty-four works including paintings, drawings and sculptures in porcelain, plaster, clay and wax. The exhibition is also an opportunity to revisit or discover pieces that, for the most part, have not been shown to the general public.
Artist biography
Alejandro García Contreras' work is distinguished by a rich imagery that blends traditional Chiapan craftsmanship with colonial art, folklore, mythology and his personal history. Through a multidisciplinary approach, he uses materials such as ceramics, paint and graphics to explore themes such as the divine, evil, magic and eroticism. Having discovered Biegas' art in his grandfather's bookshop, the artist was greatly inspired by it.
Concert by "Guitare Ensemble Paris
4pm - 4:45pm
***
The "Guitare Ensemble Paris" is a group of amateur guitarists founded in 2010 by Lidia Tobola. The ensemble focuses on Spanish music, and in particular on the techniques and colors of flamenco. Its repertoire not only covers the entire history of the music, but also includes a selection of film music and songs, with occasional soloists (vocals, flute, harp and accordion).
In 2019, the ensemble is expanding to include a group of beginners (from preparatory level).
It's impressive to see how the "Guitare Ensemble Paris" has grown over the years and now captivates audiences of all generations, thanks to the determination of its leader, driven by her unconditional passion for the instrument, teaching and ensemble work.
Dates and Opening Time
From September 20, 2025 to September 21, 2025
Location
Polish Library of Paris
6 Quai d'Orléans
75004 Paris 4
Access
Pont Marie metro station (line 7)
Prices
Free
Official website
www.bibliotheque-polonaise-paris-shlp.fr
