SÉRÉNA EYCHENIÉ
Guide Speaker
A first glimpse of the museum...
For many pupils, a school trip is an opportunity to experience a museum and a real work of art for the first time, as well as a place steeped in history.
Learning the rules (what you are allowed to do or not do in a place with other people and fragile artworks), spending time as a group, sparking curiosity, asking questions, making connections for oneself, sharing what you know, not understanding everything: all these ‘first’ times help to shape the pupils of today and tomorrow.
...to further study, in line with the Éducation Nationale
For other teachers, organising a guided tour or a walking tour means giving pupils the chance to put their knowledge into practice. It means bringing key dates and the figures who shaped history to life. It means delving into the accounts of artists from the past and trying to step into their shoes, as far as possible, to unravel all the secrets of their creative process.
It also means following in the footsteps of the men and women who built Paris, and learning, alongside the pupils, to ask the right questions.
These encounters with the past, as well as the insights they provide, can introduce or expand upon the major themes that pupils will explore throughout their school years.
From major museums to historic districts
Since 2016, I have been working with classes at all levels, from Year 1 to university.
Whether it’s guided tours of the permanent collections or bespoke themed tours, I tailor my presentation to the teachers’ curriculum.
At the Louvre Museum, for example, I offer guided tours focusing on masterpieces (the origins of the fortress and later the royal palace, Greek and Egyptian antiquities, the Renaissance, and Neoclassical and Romantic masterpieces), as well as on the evolution of Renaissance painting, or on the role of the image (a bespoke tour designed for an English teacher at a sixth-form college).
At Les Invalides – the Army Museum, I guide visitors through some of the key milestones in French history, via the collections of ancient armour or the Dome of Les Invalides.
At the Opéra Garnier, children learn to keep their eyes open so as not to miss a single detail, whilst immersing themselves in the customs and traditions of Paris’s most beautiful opera house, inaugurated in 1875.
At the Rodin Museum, we step into the private world of a prolific sculptor, creator of iconic works that capture their imagination: The Thinker, The Kiss, The Burghers of Calais, and more.
Outside the museum, we travel back in time to follow in the footsteps of France’s greatest playwright: Molière. From his birthplace to the site where his first troupe, L’Illustre Théâtre, was formed, via the Louvre, where he performed for the first time.
Please contact me.
I would be delighted to help you organise a school trip tailored to your needs and those of your class.
Choosing a theme, deciding on the duration of the visit, adapting the itinerary if necessary, advice on booking museum tickets, and arranging audio guide hire on your behalf: I’ll be on hand to ensure your pupils have an unforgettable visit, whilst taking the logistical burden off your shoulders!
Good to know: in most Parisian museums, admission tickets and booking fees for school groups are free, including for accompanying adults!
