Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Louvre-Lens Museum is a project born from the desire to decentralize the major Parisian cultural establishments, initiated by Jean-Jacques Aillagon, Minister of Culture between 2002 and 2004. After a competition between several cities in Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Lens was chosen in 2004 to host this "second Louvre", thanks to the commitment of Daniel Percheron and the support of Henri Loyrette, then president of the Louvre. The site, a former tile of the Lens mine pit No. 9, symbolizes the reconversion of the mining basin, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012.

The museum is designed by the Japanese agency SANAA (Kazuyo Sejima and Ryūe Nishizawa), associated with landscape architect Catherine Mosbach. Its sober and transparent architecture, integrated in a 20 hectare park labeled "Remarkable Garden", extends over 28,000 m2, including 7,000 m2 of exhibition space. The "Gallery of Time", the heart of the museum, presents a chronological selection of works of the Louvre, regularly renewed, while temporary exhibitions of international level are organized there. The project, with an initial cost of EUR 150 million, is financed mainly by the region (60%), the European Union (20%) and local authorities.

Inaugurated on December 4, 2012, the day of the Holy Barbe (Minors' Patrol), the museum welcomes 900,000 visitors in its first year, far exceeding expectations. It becomes a symbol of cultural and economic revitalization for the region, despite some criticism of its attractiveness or financing. In 2019, a Louvre Conservation Centre was opened in Lievin, strengthening its local anchor. The museum, led by Annabelle Ténèze since 2023, maintains a free policy for the Galerie du temps, attracting a diverse audience.

The museum park, designed by Catherine Mosbach, integrates elements of the mining heritage, such as the old railway tracks transformed into roads or the neighbouring terals evoking the Pyramid of the Louvre. The building, awarded by the silver square in 2013, plays on natural light and transparency, with glass and aluminum facades reflecting the surrounding landscape. Temporary exhibitions, often in collaboration with international museums, and subsoilable reserves complete the cultural offer.

The choice of Lens is part of a process of democratisation of art and social justice, paying tribute to the "people of the mine". The project also generated controversy, with some seeing it as an economic rather than a cultural tool, or criticizing its architecture, which is considered to be not spectacular. Despite this, the Louvre-Lens remains a major player in the Hauts-de-France heritage, with more than 1.4 million visitors in two years after its opening.

Collection

Près de 1000 oeuvres y sont exposés au travers :
de " la Galerie des Expositions temporaires"qui est composée de 2 thématiques par an.
du "Pavillon de Verre" qui est un espace d'approfondissement (thème du temps, oeuvres de musées régionnaux, l'art contemporain...).
de "la Galerie du Temps", sur un parcours chronologique inédit ;

Il y a également des ateliers pédagogiques, de l'initiation pour tous qui sont organisés.

External links