Paris’ Armenian Museum Under Threat

The Musée Arménien de France (Armenian Museum) is embroiled in a bitter dispute over the use of the Hôtel d’Ennery, a state-owned building it has occupied alongside the Musée d’Ennery since 1953, the Art Newspaper reports.

Three years ago, the Armenian museum was asked to remove its collections to allow for the renovation of the Musée d’Ennery. Some of the exhibits have now been allowed back, but the museum director, Frédéric Fringhian, is locked in a legal fight with the Musée Guimet, which controls the building, to regain full access to the Hôtel d’Ennery.

While next year will see a flurry of events marking the centenary of the Armenian genocide, Fringhian’s claim has been largely dismissed: his complaint has already been rejected by one French court.

The Armenian museum’s website states: “the museum is currently closed with no date set for a reopening. Meanwhile, its collections are accessible through this website.”