Eleanor Mills speaks to the director of this historic palace for fine art, which has been given a subtle contemporary facelift.
The Musee d’arts de Nantes was purpose-built in the 19th century as a palace for art but by 2011 it was in need of a makeover. Now, after a six- year tendering and renovation process, the museum has reopened with an extension and finely-tuned modernised interiors.
The museum’s traditional facade – freshly cleaned – is built in off-white stone, which glows in the French Atlantic light. In fact, the British architecture firm behind this renovation, Stanton Williams, have tried to introduce more natural light across the whole museum, from a walkway covered in sheet-thin marble that glows as a result, to galleries lit just by daylight.
Climate-controlled galleries now house the museum’s extensive historic art collection, and the new four-storey cube- like extension houses contemporary art.
The project has been dubbed a “trait d’union” (a union) of the historical and contemporary.
How has this redevelopment transformed the museum? Sophie Lévy: It’s pretty amazing. The old palace was much darker with old-fashioned displays and there was hardly any of the contemporary art collection on display.
What are the strengths of the renovation?
I started here in July 2016 and what struck me was the coherence of the project. It takes in everything – from the street outside to signage. Buildings from different periods bring constraints with them, but the architects have achieved a holistic view, creating a dialogue with historic and contemporary architecture. Essential to this has been the importance of natural light. The architects also managed to open up the facade to the city, which is important as it felt closed off before.
Does this project strike you as different to others?
It’s the first time I have seen one with so much modesty – the architecture doesn’t impede the works of art – visitors and artworks come first. Maybe it’s because the architects are British – the renovation is subtle but rigorous. This subdued architectural language means the details become important.
How has the museum’s offer changed?
There are now two hours for school group visits, from 9am-11am, and the museum is open to visitors from 11am to 7pm, which adds an hour to the previous opening times.
We also stay open until 9pm on Thursdays. We have a new restaurant, which is open three nights a week, and excellent lifts to improve accessibility. We have also made an app
that works as a museum guide, but can also tailor content.
What is the opening show?
The museum had been shut for six years so our opening exhibition is purely our permanent collection. I had to defend that idea to the mayor of Nantes. She was doubtful about not having a temporary exhibition to open with.
I had to demonstrate that this was the way to go, both for visitors who loved the museum before it closed and want to rediscover it, and for fresh audiences. There is also a new commission by the Austrian artist Susanna Fritscher on display. She has made beautiful work out of silicon threads for the central courtyard space.
What’s in your collection?
The collection began around 1800, but the oldest works date back to the 13th century, acquired in 1810 from the diplomat François Cacault, who had an amazing art collection. In 1838, the city decided the museum should focus on collecting living artists, so our works by artists such as Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and Gustave Courbet were acquired while they were still alive.
Resistance to impressionism and all schools beyond that means our modern collection has mostly been acquired through donations or later acquisitions. In the 1980s there was a drive to collect contemporary work again, so we have an impressive collection of that.
What are you most looking forward to?
How visitors will interact with the artworks and the space. And seeing whether things will or won’t work as we had imagined. This experimental period will be interesting.
Project data
Cost €48.8m (£43m)
Main funder Nantes Metropole Architect Stanton Williams General contractor Bouygues Bâtiment Grand Ouest
Structural engineers RFR Artelia & SEPIA
Mechanical and electrical engineers Max Fordham; GEFI Acoustic and lighting engineer Max Fordham
Signage and graphics Cartlidge Levene Fire safety Casso & Associés
Admission Adult €8; Children €4
The Musee d’arts de Nantes was purpose-built in the 19th century as a palace for art but by 2011 it was in need of a makeover. Now, after a six- year tendering and renovation process, the museum has reopened with an extension and finely-tuned modernised interiors.
The museum’s traditional facade – freshly cleaned – is built in off-white stone, which glows in the French Atlantic light. In fact, the British architecture firm behind this renovation, Stanton Williams, have tried to introduce more natural light across the whole museum, from a walkway covered in sheet-thin marble that glows as a result, to galleries lit just by daylight.
Climate-controlled galleries now house the museum’s extensive historic art collection, and the new four-storey cube- like extension houses contemporary art.
The project has been dubbed a “trait d’union” (a union) of the historical and contemporary.
How has this redevelopment transformed the museum? Sophie Lévy: It’s pretty amazing. The old palace was much darker with old-fashioned displays and there was hardly any of the contemporary art collection on display.
What are the strengths of the renovation?
I started here in July 2016 and what struck me was the coherence of the project. It takes in everything – from the street outside to signage. Buildings from different periods bring constraints with them, but the architects have achieved a holistic view, creating a dialogue with historic and contemporary architecture. Essential to this has been the importance of natural light. The architects also managed to open up the facade to the city, which is important as it felt closed off before.
Does this project strike you as different to others?
It’s the first time I have seen one with so much modesty – the architecture doesn’t impede the works of art – visitors and artworks come first. Maybe it’s because the architects are British – the renovation is subtle but rigorous. This subdued architectural language means the details become important.
How has the museum’s offer changed?
There are now two hours for school group visits, from 9am-11am, and the museum is open to visitors from 11am to 7pm, which adds an hour to the previous opening times.
We also stay open until 9pm on Thursdays. We have a new restaurant, which is open three nights a week, and excellent lifts to improve accessibility. We have also made an app
that works as a museum guide, but can also tailor content.
What is the opening show?
The museum had been shut for six years so our opening exhibition is purely our permanent collection. I had to defend that idea to the mayor of Nantes. She was doubtful about not having a temporary exhibition to open with.
I had to demonstrate that this was the way to go, both for visitors who loved the museum before it closed and want to rediscover it, and for fresh audiences. There is also a new commission by the Austrian artist Susanna Fritscher on display. She has made beautiful work out of silicon threads for the central courtyard space.
What’s in your collection?
The collection began around 1800, but the oldest works date back to the 13th century, acquired in 1810 from the diplomat François Cacault, who had an amazing art collection. In 1838, the city decided the museum should focus on collecting living artists, so our works by artists such as Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and Gustave Courbet were acquired while they were still alive.
Resistance to impressionism and all schools beyond that means our modern collection has mostly been acquired through donations or later acquisitions. In the 1980s there was a drive to collect contemporary work again, so we have an impressive collection of that.
What are you most looking forward to?
How visitors will interact with the artworks and the space. And seeing whether things will or won’t work as we had imagined. This experimental period will be interesting.
Project data
Cost €48.8m (£43m)
Main funder Nantes Metropole Architect Stanton Williams General contractor Bouygues Bâtiment Grand Ouest
Structural engineers RFR Artelia & SEPIA
Mechanical and electrical engineers Max Fordham; GEFI Acoustic and lighting engineer Max Fordham
Signage and graphics Cartlidge Levene Fire safety Casso & Associés
Admission Adult €8; Children €4