The museum of distilling cultures.
Five thousand years of craft, on every continent. SpiLi documents the gesture, the terroir, the object and the archive.
SPIritueux LIqueurs
Association loi 1901 — a French non-profit association, working towards recognition as a public-interest foundation. Charter of editorial independence.
A universal heritage, scattered today.
Whiskies, rums, cognacs, gins, eaux-de-vie, liqueurs, mezcals, baijius… Spirits carry five thousand years of the history of civilisations: the science of distilling, trade routes, farming terroirs, the arts of the table, literature and myth. That immense heritage lies scattered today — no museum in the world tells it whole.
SpiLi means to fill that gap: to create in Paris a museum devoted to the culture of spirits and liqueurs, open to everyone — newcomers and connoisseurs, families and young audiences, international visitors, people with disabilities. A permanent route through the collections, temporary exhibitions, workshops and a cultural programme will make it a cultural and sensory landmark.
The project is carried by a public-interest purpose: to exhibit and safeguard every dimension of the culture of spirits — myths, artistic expression, rites, geography, history, figures and techniques — in France and worldwide. It is being developed by a preparatory association, working towards recognition as a public-interest foundation.
The vision
Heritage & scholarship
Research, collection, publications, an open database. The core, not up for negotiation.
Education & citizenship
Young audiences, prevention, responsible drinking, training for the trades.
Territories & outreach
French and worldwide terroirs, distillery tourism, touring abroad.
Experience & endurance
Immersive, sensory, events. The activities that fund the mission.
Far more than a visit.
- A permanent route — the history of spirits, production techniques, the terroirs of the world, exceptional bottles, a working still and a teaching cellar.
- Temporary exhibitions — the odyssey of rum, poets and absinthe, Japan's distilling traditions, American Prohibition…
- Immersive experiences — virtual tours of estates, interactive maps, a multilingual digital companion that carries the visit further.
- A cultural programme — talks, screenings, concerts, debates, scholarly conferences.
- Workshops — multisensory spaces for adults, teaching routes for young audiences, alcohol-free and turned towards science and history.
- A distillery-tourism desk — to plan visits to distilleries and estates across every region of France.
Road map
The association, the circle of advisors, the collaborative database online.
An immersive, modular exhibition in the Paris region: the terroirs of French spirits.
The exhibition travels to key cities worldwide, in dialogue with local cultures.
The final venue, in Paris, devoted to the spirits of the whole world.
The museum opens in 2032. Its first room is already open.
The Atlas maps categories, terroirs, geographical indications and raw materials — and makes the kinships between them visible. Every entry carries its sources and its level of validation.
24 categories · 74 terroirs
91 of the 98 entries carry a position ; the other 7 are documented without being placed on the map.
Write this history with us
SpiLi is in its preparatory phase : this is when the project takes shape, and every form of support counts.
Advisors
Figures from heritage, spirits and philanthropy : join the circle that guides the project's strategy.
Patrons & partners
Companies, foundations, institutions : join a pioneering cultural project, framed by a charter of editorial independence.
Loans & gifts of objects
Rare bottles, stills, posters, documents : help build the collection of the future museum.
Volunteers & contributors
Documentary research, the database, events : put your skills to work for the project.