Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Asiatica Museum, which has been based in Biarritz (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) since 1999, is dedicated to Asian cultures, including those of India, China, Tibet and Nepal. It offers an immersion in art, history and traditions of these regions through various works: sculptures, paintings, textiles and ritual objects. This provincial museum is distinguished by its accessible collection, supplemented by educational sheets on the periods and regions represented, offering an alternative to major Parisian or European museums such as the Guimet Museum or the British Museum.

The project was born from the passion of Michel Postel, director of the museum, who moved to India at 23 years after studying commerce in Paris. A wise collector, he collected items acquired before the Antiquities Act of 1973, then via antique dealers and auctions. The curator, Xintian Zhu, a doctor of art history and archaeology from the Far East (Sorbonne), is a specialist of the Vyala and co-founder of the museum. Since 1990, she has been conducting research at the Indian Cultural Research Centre, enriching the scientific dimension of the collections.

The museum's collections cover a wide geographical and thematic spectrum. India is represented there by sculptures in diorite (IXth–XIIth centuries), Mohra (divine masks), bronze-age weapons, and works dedicated to Hinduism, Buddhism or Jainism. Tibet deploys thangka (paintings on silk), lamas bronzes or tantric deities, and ritual objects. China exhibits neolithic jades, Ming porcelain and ivory, while Nepal showcases wood sculptures and musical instruments. Parts from Burma, Japan and Indonesia complete this eclectic ensemble.

The museum organizes temporary exhibitions, renewed every two to three months, exploring various aspects of Asia: traditions, lifestyle, art or historical evolution. These events allow you to discover less known facets of Asian cultures, while highlighting rare pieces or transversal themes. The museum approach aims to recreate an immersive atmosphere, as in the hall dedicated to India, where a shadow evoking holy places plunges the visitor into a spiritual atmosphere.

The association law of 1901 at the origin of the Asiatica museum opened its doors on 5 March 1999. Its anchoring in Biarritz, a renowned seaside resort, makes it an atypical cultural place in the region, attracting both locals and tourists. The museum stands as a bridge between the West and the East, making accessible a heritage that is often unknown in Europe, outside the major cities. Its success is based on the diversity of its collections and the expertise of its founders, combining passion and scientific rigour.

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