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Hall du musée des impressionnismes Giverny

History: from American art museum to Impressionism museum

Musée des impressionnismes Giverny? It might sound like an unusual name for the museum. Impressionism is plural and has offshoots? Yes! This museum introduces you to Impressionism in the broad sense of the term – but also allows you to explore the origins and legacy of this movement. The very venue of the museum also gives meaning to this mission.

1992: Daniel J. Terra founds the American Art Museum

The Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny succeeded the American Art Museum, established in 1992 by Daniel J. Terra (1911-1996), founder of the Terra Foundation for American Art. This first museum aimed to present a private collection, in a building created for the purpose on the hillside where Claude Monet stayed to paint his famous “Haystacks” in the 1890s. For the sixteen years it was open, the Giverny American Art Museum organised an unprecedented program of exhibitions, publications, symposiums, conferences, residencies by art historians and artists dedicated to American art and culture. 

2009: Giverny welcomes the new Musée des Impressionnismes

In 2009, a partnership between the Terra Foundation for American Art, the Departmental Council of Eure, the Departmental Council of Seine-Maritime, the Upper Normandy Region, the Conurbation of the city of Vernon and the City of Vernon, as well as Musée d’Orsay, allowed the creation of the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny, which replaced the Giverny American Art Museum.

Since 2009, the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny has organised major exhibitions on Pierre Bonnard (2011), Maurice Denis (2012), Edgar Degas (2014), Joaquín Sorolla (2016) and Gustave Caillebotte (2016), but also on themes, like Japonism/Impressionnism (2018), In the garden. From Monet to Bonnard (2021) or Monet/Rothko (2022). It regularly invites contemporary artists, photographers, painters, sculptors or filmmakers: Olivier Mériel (2010), Bernard Plossu (2011), Hiramatsu Reiji (2013), Eva Jospin (2021) or Ange Leccia (2022) have been featured in exhibitions in the past. 

A museum with a varied program and a collection based around Impressionism

Since 2009, the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny has pursued an active exhibition policy on Impressionism and its legacy. A calendar of diverse events is offered to visitors in support of this initiative. This includes concerts, workshops for adults and young visitors, and conferences and guided tours offered every season to allow everyone to enjoy art at their own pace. As one of the museum’s primary missions is to protect and conserve works of art, the museum has also gradually cultivated a collection focused on Impressionism thanks to purchases, long-term loans and donations, and with the unwavering support and assistance of an extremely generous Patrons’ Club and the faithful Friends of the Museum.

The Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny board of directors

All founding members, institutional partners and local authorities are part of the board of directors.

  • Mr. Sébastien Lecornu, Chairman of the Board of Directors
  • Mr. Sylvain Amic
  • Mrs. Laurence Des Cars
  • Mrs. Nicole Balmary
  • Mr.  Jean-Pierre Jouyet
  • Mrs. Sharon Corwin
  • Mrs. Francesca Rose
  • Mr. Thierry Coudert
  • Mrs. Claire Bernardi
  • Mrs. Catherine Delalande
  • Mr. Thomas Elexhauser
  • Mr. Alain-Charles Perrot
  • Mr. Claude Landais
  • Mrs. Stéphanie Auger
  • Mr. Alain Missoffe
  • Mr. Edouard De Lamaze
  • Mrs. Catherine Morin-Desailly
  • Mrs. Karêne Beauvillard
  • Mr. Alexandre Rassaërt
  • Mr. François Ouzilleau
  • Mrs. Cécile Rémy-Bastit
  • Mrs. Emilie Vanhaesebroucke
  • Mr. Pascal Mérieau
  • Mr. Laurent Lefrançois

The Musée des impressionnismes Giverny team

The museum’s services can be contacted throughout the year.

General management

  • Cyrille Sciama

General Secretariat

  • Cécile Stumpf

Administration-Accounting

  • Xavier Poc
  • Francine Le Massu
  • Vincent Gosselin

Conservation

  • Cyrille Sciama
  • Marie Delbarre
  • Valérie Reis
  • Véronique Roca

Communication

  • Aurore Hoair Fouquet
  • Charlène Potier
  • Romane Pinard
  • Laurine Dallard

Public services

  • Eléonore Coutau-Bégarie
  • Elisa Bonnin
  • Laurette Roche
  • Charlotte Guimier

Maintenance

  • Denis Atanné
  • Didier Guiot

Shop

  • Sandrine Couture
  • Carole Thuillier
  • Cassandre Baron

Garden

  • Emmanuel Besnard
  • Nicolas Feray
  • Aurélien Lebras

And the whole team of temporary workers.