Museum of Fine Arts
Lyon, France
MUNICIPALITY OF LYON
Chief Architect of Historical Monuments: JEAN-GABRIEL MORTAMET
Architect: PHILIPPE DUBOIS
Interior designer and museography: WILMOTTE & ASSOCIÉS
Lighting: GEORGES BERNE, LIGHT CIBLE
Cost consultant: MARC VAREILLE
Manufacturer: ACADEMY
14 000 sqm
1992-1998
Design interior and museography of all the rooms in the Palais Saint-Pierre, an old Benedictine convent.
The Museum of Fine Arts in Lyon is one of the largest museums in France and Europe. Located in the centre of Lyon, between the Rhone and the Saone, it's in a magnificent 17th century building. Renovation work has enabled the redeployment of vast collections and the creation of the facilities needed to welcome the public.
The renovation of the building that houses the Fine Arts Museum, the Palais Saint-Pierre, as well as the museography of the spaces took place in six phases between 1990 and 1997. With a surface area of more than 14,000 sqm, the renovation allowed the redeployment of collections on the two main levels, and the creation of equipment and services necessary to welcome the public. The collections of antiques and objets d’art are located on the first floor. For the painting collections, on the second floor, particular attention was paid to the design of the lighting: a central glass roof diffuses natural light evenly over the picture rails. The sculpture collections are presented in the chapel.
A coloured slaked lime plaster covers the walls and harmonises with the moabi flooring to create a soothing atmosphere. A line of furniture in leather and stained pearwood was created especially for the museum.
