SIME/International Museums and Exhibitions Show
1988-1996 From the Grand Palais in Paris to the Arsenal in Venice.

Armure japonaise, collection Arman - SIME 1992 Grand Palais - SIME 1989 Venise - SIME 1996 - Entrée Arsenal, Venise - SIME 1996 Art africain, collection Baselitz - SIME 1994 Entrée - SIME 1988 Art africain, collection Baselitz - SIME 1994 François Léotard et Jean François Grunfeld - SIME 1988

On 14th January 1988, François Léotard, the French Minister of Culture, inaugurates the first SIME, the International Museums and Exhibitions Show, together with Jean François Grunfeld, who conceived, produced and staged this new show. It comprises three sections: the museum itself - what it is, what it does; behind the scenes at museums - who keeps the “machine” running; and museum productions - by-products, catalogues, etc. It is a world first: finally, museums are able to present themselves with all their cultural, policy, economic and technical potential.

And the public flock to it : 40,000 visitors and representatives from all walks of the media.

1990 1992 1994

These three editions crystallise SIME’s key areas of strength. It has a 70% international presence and becomes the essential meeting place for museums seeking to create themselves and for all professionals Europe-wide.
It offers a succession of innovations: Tourmusé, a European Community initiative with the participation of the French, English (ETB) and Italian (ENIT) Ministries of Tourism, irrevocably establishes the relationship between museums and cultural tourism.
Unique and original cultural events follow one after the other at SIME. The presentation of an exhibition on the theme of the artist as collector, including the Arman collections of Japanese arms, curated by Robert Buraway, then the African art collected by the German painter Baselitz, curated by Jacques Kerchache, collector and tireless promoter of tribal arts from the Musée du Quai Branly. Music with pianist Alain Kremski and jazz musician Daniel Humair; gastronomy from the Burgundy region and Guy Savoy.

Attendance is in excess of 60,000 visitors. The international press devotes dozens of articles to the event. But the Grand Palais is suddenly closed just before the 1994 edition, which is held under a marquis on the Champ de Mars in a rainy April, attracting only 35,000 visitors.

Venise

Invited by the city, province and region of Venice, SIME opens its doors for the last time... in a perfect location to go out in style. But not before organising a major symposium on cultural tourism at the Correr Museum.