The BnF Circles

Mark Pigott KBE
The Paccar Corporate Foundation, established in 1951, is chaired by Mark Pigott KBE. The Foundation supports education, social causes, and culture. In 2014, an initial major donation to the BnF helped fund research and conservation programs, as well as the renovation of the reading room in the Manuscripts Department. A second significant donation enabled the restoration of the Mansart Gallery, the temporary exhibition hall at Richelieu. 

Dai Nippon Printing (DNP)
The Japanese company, founded in 1876 and specializing in printing and information dissemination technologies, has put its expertise to work for cultural heritage by digitizing works from the BnF’s Department of Coins, Medals, and Antiquities, as well as the decorations of the Mazarin Gallery and the 
Louis XV Salon, to make them accessible to all visitors. DNP also supported the restoration of the Louis XV Salon.

Leon Levy Foundation
The Leon Levy Foundation was established in 2004 from the estate of Leon Levy by his wife and founding board member, Shelby White. It carries on Leon Levy’s philanthropic legacy in six areas, including the ancient world and the arts. The Foundation established the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World, a center for advanced research and higher education on the study of ancient civilizations at New York University. The Leon Levy Foundation supports the restoration of the Hall of Columns.

French Heritage Society
Founded in 1982, the American organization French Heritage Society, which brings together American and French philanthropists, has been working to preserve French heritage in France and the United States for 40 years. Thanks to the Society, the BnF has received a donation from the Florence Gould Foundation for the Mazarin Gallery and sponsorship from Iron Mountain for the Louis XV Salon. 

T. Kimball Brooker Foundation
A great Francophile, bibliophile, and philanthropist, T. Kimball Brooker was keen to demonstrate his attachment to the Bibliothèque nationale de France and the heritage it houses through a donation for the restoration of the Louis XV Salon, a true 18th-century gem. 

Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)
Founded in 1996, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is one of the leading international private philanthropic organizations. SNF supported the restoration of the Louis XV Salon. Previously inaccessible, the Salon will now be open to all visitors.

Carnegie Corporation of New York
An American foundation established in 1911 to promote access to education and knowledge for all, the Carnegie Corporation of New York has been supporting universities and public libraries for over a century. At the BnF, it has committed to supporting the digital outreach efforts of the new museum and the Oval Room.

Patrick A. Gerschel Foundation
A Francophile philanthropist, Patrick Gerschel has for years supported organizations that contribute to the promotion of French culture. His interest in France and its heritage was once again demonstrated by his patronage of the restoration of the Mazarin Gallery.

Susan and David Rockefeller
As avid art lovers and renowned philanthropists, Susan and David Rockefeller support numerous cultural organizations around the world, and in France in particular. Their donation, made in honor of Jean-Noël Jeanneney, former president of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, contributes to the renovation of the Mazarin Gallery and the promotion of French culture. 

Fondation Sisley-d’Ornano 
Hosted by the Fondation de France, the Sisley-d’Ornano Foundation has been active for fifteen years in all areas of public interest—culture, health, social solidarity, education, and the environment—both in France and internationally, supporting meaningful and innovative projects. Its donation enabled the creation of the Cabinet Précieux, a new showcase for the ancient treasure of Berthouville.

Caisse d’Épargne Île-de-France
Honored as a Grand Patron of Culture, the Caisse d’Épargne Île-de-France is a bank founded in 1818 with the ambition of being open to all. A patron of the BnF since 2009, its donation has helped make the Richelieu site accessible to all. 

Banque Hottinguer
Founded in 1786, Banque Hottinguer is one of the last independent banks still controlled by its founding family. The Hottinguer family is known for its longstanding appreciation of art and culture. Its commitment to the BnF helped fund the restoration of the Mazarin Gallery.

Fondation Andreas Mentzelopoulos 
The Andreas Mentzelopoulos Foundation was established by Corinne Mentzelopoulos in memory of her father, Andreas Mentzelopoulos, who owned the 1,600 Félix Potin stores until his death in 1980. In 1977, Andreas Mentzelopoulos acquired the prestigious Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Margaux. The Andreas Mentzelopoulos Foundation also supports major charitable projects in both France and Greece. It was also responsible for the restoration of the room dedicated to the collections donated in 1863 by the Duke of Luynes, one of the highlights of which is the world’s finest collection of Greek coins. 

TotalEnergies Foundation - Fondation du Patrimoine
The TotalEnergies Corporate Foundation works to support young people, particularly the most vulnerable. Established in 1992, it now collaborates with its partners in four priority areas: education and social integration; road safety; climate, coastlines, and oceans; and intercultural dialogue and heritage. A major player in heritage preservation, it has been working alongside the Fondation du Patrimoine for fifteen years. In this context, as a patron of the BnF since 2009, it has contributed to the restoration of the Mazarin Gallery.

Saint-Gobain
Founded in 1665, Saint-Gobain is one of France’s oldest companies. A steadfast supporter of France’s cultural heritage, it has partnered with the BnF to create a glass gallery that allows visitors to move more easily between all of the museum’s galleries.

More than 3,300 individual donors also demonstrated their support for the BnF through public fundraising campaigns. These campaigns focused on the restoration of the Oval Room, the Mazarin Gallery, and the Louis XV Salon. The Oval Room, a symbol of a library open to all, was the focus of a unique approach in this fundraising campaign, allowing the general public to reclaim the space through donations. The room’s furnishings (tables, radiators, lamps, bookcases, and columns) and the decorative elements featuring the names of cities adorning the glass roof were thus offered for symbolic adoption. In total, 553 objects and decorative elements from the Oval Room were sponsored. 

The public’s support was crucial to the opening of the Richelieu. Their generosity confirmed the commitment of the French people and Francophiles around the world to preserving this universal heritage.