Bibliothèque Smith-Lesouëf
Library dating from 1919 in Nogent-sur-Marne, now a heritage site of the Fondation des Artistes, with a wood-paneled reading room and objects from the Lesouëf collection.
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About the museum
The library was built between 1913 and 1917 by the Smith sisters to house the collection of their uncle, the bibliophile Auguste Lesouëf, which comprised about 18,000 volumes, including rare manuscripts and incunabula. The sisters initially intended the building for the Bibliothèque nationale de France. The building, the work of architects Théodore Dauphin and Paul Marion, evokes the architecture of the Louis XIII era, with a brick façade and a slate roof; some of the paneling and ironwork comes from older Parisian buildings.
The site opened to the public in 1919 and was used by the BnF until the 1980s, when the collections were moved to centralized storage. The Fondation des Artistes received the building on January 9, 2004, and restored it in 2018. In 2023 the Ministry of Culture awarded the library the “Maison des Illustres” label.
Today the library holds books that belonged to former residents of the Maison nationale des artistes, as well as furniture and art objects by Auguste Lesouëf (miniatures, santons, drawings, sculptures) deposited by the BnF in 2019. The former wood-paneled reading room and the vestibule have hosted lectures, readings, screenings and exhibitions since 2019.
Highlights
- Former wood-paneled reading room, built in 1913–1917
- Objects and paintings from the Auguste Lesouëf collection, lent by the BnF
- Brick and slate architecture inspired by the Louis XIII style
- Guided tours, including of the Maison nationale des artistes and the park
- Lectures, readings and exhibitions in the reading room
- Founded
- 1919
- Operated by
- Fondation des Artistes
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
By public transit
Nogent-sur-Marne (RER A)
RER A, Nogent-sur-Marne station; RER E, Nogent – Le Perreux station; buses 114, 120, 210 and 313 near Rue Charles VII.
Amenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The Foundation regularly organizes guided tours of the library, on request at visite@fondationdesartistes.fr. Groups and schools can contact the MABA art center at maba@fondationdesartistes.fr. |
