ART PALACE

Nestled in its sumptuous setting, the Palais des Beaux-Arts has not usurped its palatial title. It was inaugurated in 1892 with great fanfare. During the Great War, the building and the collections suffered a lot of damage. Thanks to the efforts of its curator Edouard Reynard, many works are put in safety in the Museum of Valenciennes. It would take years to restore it. It only reopened in 1924. Until 1997, the year of its re-inauguration by Jacques Chirac, the museum underwent numerous expansions and refurbishments. But don't let yourself be impressed by this imposing building! Here we break the codes to make art accessible to all, especially through fun and innovative digital tools to appropriate the collections, offering a wide panorama of antiquity to the twentieth century. Beautiful rooms are also dedicated to ceramics and art objects as well as medals and medallions. Not to be missed: the plan-reliefs in the basement, entirely restored and presented in a magnificent setting. Not to mention the major exhibitions and the "Un midi, Un regard" principle, which invites personalities from various backgrounds to offer an offbeat vision of art. It is also possible to enjoy a coffee or lunch inside the museum, at the Beau Café by Fleur de chef, committed to an ethical and eco-responsible approach (all containers and cutlery are recyclable). Modern, lively, friendly: that's the Palais des Beaux-Arts!