Scientific heritage of the IHES

The IHES presents its first virtual exhibition entitled "Le Patrimoine scientifique de l'IHES" (The Scientific Heritage of the IHES). It is a reproduction of an exhibition designed by Anne-Sandrine Paumier, science historian. The exhibition took place on September 17, 2016 as part of the European Heritage Days. For this virtual version, some information has been updated to take into account the current situation of the Institute.

The exhibition was initially conceived as a journey through different places of the IHES, as a pretext to visit them. In each of the locations, the history of the early years of the IHES was thus presented through a different entrance door, exploring several themes.

This time, you are invited to a virtual discovery of the Institute through the different themes addressed: location and organization of space, the faces of those who built the Institute, and scientific life are thus presented in this exhibition, from the creation of the IHES in 1958 to the present day.

Table of Contents

• 1. Where should mathematics and theoretical physics be practiced? The institute’s location
• 2. Where should mathematics and theoretical physics be practiced? Organization of the premises
• 3. Alexander Grothendieck (1928-2014)
• 4. Algebraic geometry at IHES
• 5. The creation of IHES, Léon Motchane’s contribution
• 6. The creation of IHES, the American connection
• 7. Those who shaped IHES
• 8. Visitors from around the world
• 9. Publications Mathématiques de l'IHES
• 10. Scientific activity

The 2016 exhibition was initially made possible thanks to the digitization of part of the IHES archives.

The archival material presented, as well as a selection of historical archives of IHES, were digitized with the support of La Diagonale Paris-Saclay, the Fondation Mathématique Jacques Hadamard and the Crédit Agricole Île-de-France Mécénat.

The digital version of this exhibition was realized with the support of Crédit Agricole Île-de-France Mécénat.

Photo credits:

R. Bouillot, F. Raoul-Duval – Pleine Page, CECM, Marie-Claude Vergne – IHES, Fanny Dufour – IHES, Valérie Touchant – IHES

Despite the Institute’s efforts, it has not always been possible to locate the authors or copyright holders of certain documents.

In the case of unpublished and/or copyrighted documents, the Institute has endeavored to obtain the authorization of the authors or rights holders before publishing them.

Besides, IHES is committed to recognizing the rights of every person or their heirs coming forward to us.

Support

Research at IHES is disinterested and freely conducted by researchers. To guarantee access to knowledge and the history of science, the Institute needs your support.

Officially launched in November 2018, the third fundraising campaign "The IHES at the forefront of science" focused on three areas: "People, Place, Perpetuity".

Do not hesitate to consult our our support page and make a donation.