A museum that is truly open to the city, the exhibition and service spaces welcome visitors with fluidity. A wide forecourt and window displays on several facades intensify the desire to bring art to the street and the public to the museum. Stanton Williams Architects' brief was to create a coherent museographic and architectural journey, serving art and collections from the 13th to the 21st century.
Completely bathed in natural light, the Musée d'Arts perfectly blends ancient and contemporary architecture. Its harmonious lines make it a work of art in its own right. Its majestic recent renovation sublimates three spaces whose architecture reflects their respective eras: the Palais dating from 1900, the 17th-century Chapelle de l'Oratoire and the Cube, a new building dedicated to contemporary art.
The Palace
This majestic building follows the principles of 19th-century museums such as Lille and Amiens: a building organized around a central courtyard, the Patio, covered by a glass roof with zenithal lighting. A monumental staircase leads from the Patio to a double circuit of surrounding galleries on the ground and second floors. In the large upstairs galleries, the architects' approach was to exploit the natural light of the glass roof to enhance both aesthetics and the environment.
The Palais has its own special areas:
Le Patio
Located in the heart of the Palais, this monumental, luminous space hosts large-scale temporary exhibitions several times a year, transforming to suit each occasion.
The Parvis showcase
An emblematic exhibition space at the entrance to the Palais, it immediately signals the importance of contemporary art to the Musée d'arts. Local artists present works created specifically for this space, halfway between the museum and the street.
The bookshop-boutique
Accessible from the Palais lobby, the bookshop-boutique offers visitors the chance to pick up postcards, stationery, games, jewelry or themed books on the museum's collections and exhibitions.
Le Café du musée
Located in the heart of the museum, this café-restaurant welcomes you for a tasty break in this exceptional setting! For a meal, a snack or an aperitif, any occasion is good enough!
Room 21, on the second floor of the Palais
With a collection ranging from the 13th century to contemporary art, the museum has chosen to create a dialogue between eras with temporary thematic and transchronological displays.
The White Room
Excavation of the Palais basement has created new public spaces, including an exhibition room known as the "White Room". This room can display photographs and drawings from the museum's graphic arts collection, as well as temporary exhibitions.
The auditorium
Located in the heart of the museum's basement, the auditorium is ideal for concerts, conferences and film screenings. As a private space, you can also organize conferences, seminars or awards ceremonies in a soothing, creative atmosphere.
The library
The library can be accessed by appointment. It holds over 35,000 books, 20,000 artist's portfolios and 200 journal titles dedicated to art from the 15th to the 21st centuries.
Le petit salon
On the 1st floor of the Palais, in the heart of the 19th-century collection, a lounge area allows individual visitors and families alike to take a break from their visit. Games, coloring pages and books are at your disposal. A cosy space to recharge your batteries, literally and figuratively.
The Oratory Chapel
Built in the 17th century, Chapelle de l'Oratoire was originally a religious building. A place of worship until 1772, when it became national property, its functions changed over nearly 200 years, becoming successively the seat of the criminal court, a hospital, a forage barn and a gendarmerie barracks. Purchased by the town in 1963 for a symbolic franc, the chapel opened to the public in 1989. Following the renovation of the museum, it is now an integral part of the Nantes Museum of Art, hosting temporary exhibitions.
Le Cube
A link between past and present, this new building inaugurated in 2017 is dedicated to contemporary art, representing a large part of the museum's collections. More than 2,000 m² are spread over 4 levels. The architects took great care to establish coherence between the old building and the new one.
A true architectural feat, a magnificent translucent curtain wall suspended along the staircase is composed of marble and laminated glass, letting light in and out as the hours pass. Some floors of Le Cube can accommodate temporary exhibitions.