Nantes Museum of Arts, Art museum in Nantes, France
The Nantes Museum of Arts occupies a late-19th-century palace designed by Nantes architect Clément-Marie Josso, organised around a central courtyard covered with a glass roof. Its cream stone facade has a recessed round-arched entrance between two flat sections, each with tall grilled windows, two columns and a niche holding a pale statue. A double staircase and vaulted vestibule lead to galleries on two levels, extended since 2017 by buildings by Stanton Williams.
The museum was founded in 1801 and soon received numerous works from the royal collection, making it the largest art repository outside Paris by 1818. This development shaped the city's role in the European art world.
The museum displays European artworks from different periods, inviting visitors to encounter pieces by artists such as Rubens, Monet, and Picasso under one roof. The collection reflects the city's long-standing appreciation for artistic expression across centuries.
The museum stands at 10 rue Georges Clemenceau, near the château, the cathedral and the Cours Saint-André and Saint-Pierre; buses 11 and 12 stop at Trébuchet. The 2011–2017 extension enlarged the building from 11,400 to 17,000 m², so allow time for both the 19th-century palace and the newer galleries. The entrance is on the Jules-Dupré course side, a paved lane closed by gates at each end.
The 2011–2017 extension by British architect Stanton Williams added 2,500 m² of exhibition space, an auditorium of 180 seats in the patio and linked the nearby chapel of the Oratory, used for temporary exhibitions. Work stalled for almost four years after water pipes were found in the foundations, adding 10 million euros to the cost.
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