Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Corte Museum of Corsica was designed in 1990 on the initiative of the Corsican Region, with the support of the French and EEC Museums Directorate. An international architectural competition selected a project combining renovation and modernity to house the ethnographic collections of Father Louis Doazan, commissioned by the National Museum of Folk Arts and Traditions. The museum opened its doors on 21 June 1997 in the walls of the former Serrurier barracks, a late neo-classical building integrated with the citadel of Corte, whose ramparts date back to the 15th and 18th centuries.

The Serrurier barracks, built between 1853 and 1887, had several uses: military hospital (1853), detention centre for political prisoners (1856), and barracks occupied by the Foreign Legion (1952-1963). The architect Andrea Bruno, a UNESCO expert, has transformed this site into an exemplary site museum, revealing the original architectural structure (transversals, curved bays) while integrating flexible exhibition spaces. His minimalist approach highlights the primary function of the museum: to give a glimpse to make understand, without distracting attention by superfluous decorations.

The initial collections, enriched since the opening, cover ethnology (costumes, furniture, tools), local history, ancient photography, and sound archives. The museum also explores contemporary Corsica, addressing topics such as industrialization, tourism and identity quest. The museum's Doazan Gallery brings together 3,500 ethnographic objects, while a collection of advertising posters (1891-1998) illustrates the evolution of island tourism.

The building itself, formerly located on the Castellacce district (saved in 1843 for military reasons), embodies the historical strata of Corte. The renovation of Andrea Bruno was able to reconcile respect for the existing structure with innovation, offering various routes, light games and coherence between the past (military) and present (cultural) functions of the site. This dialogue between history and modernity makes it a unique place, where neo-classical austerity becomes an asset for museumography.

The museum of Corsica is also distinguished by its heritage library and sound bases, supplementing a cultural offer that goes beyond the traditional framework of ethnography. It is part of a dynamic approach, reflecting the social, economic and cultural stakes of Corsica today, while preserving the collective memory of the island.

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