The Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille is one of the most important museums in the Hauts-de-France, but not only: it also has one of the most important collections in Europe. Renovated in 1997, the superb 19th century building houses prestigious collections of paintings, sculptures, drawings, ceramics and relief maps.
Originally, the museum consisted of works confiscated from emigrants and religious institutions after the Revolution. The museum comprises six departments,
such as the painting department, which includes a collection of paintings by major artists (Rubens, Courbet, Delacroix and Goya), a Middle Ages and Renaissance department and a large drawing studio (including 40 Raphael sheets). On the ground floor, you can admire a gallery of 19th century French sculptures and a collection of beautiful ceramics.
A connected museum
The museum was modernized in 2017 with, in particular, a new Atrium that transforms the visiting experience: touch screens, a new shop, rest and reading areas... An application indicates the presence of remarkable works thanks to a geolocation system and offers detailed comments. It is also possible to customize your visit by creating routes and adding favourites (which you can access later via the website).
After a major renovation, this department reopened its doors to the public on March 16th 2019. The relief maps were made between the 17th century (under Louis XIV) and the 19th century (under Napoleon III) and represent fortified sites in France built for military purposes. Of the hundreds of maps made, 14 are on display at the Palais des Beaux-Arts, including the cities of Lille, Calais, Ypres and Tournai.
Thanks to a digital system, you can zoom in on a point of interest and visualize on a touch screen a close-up view of it in 3D. You can also play the role of Louis XIV through virtual reality, during a short adventure film.
The museum organizes guided tours, workshops and events, including international temporary exhibitions and the Open Museum event in the spring.
For more information on the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille.
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