For the people of Nantes, the European Night of Museums will have a special flavor. This is the day when the Musée Dobrée reopens after twelve years of closure and a major renovation project. From May 18 – and free until June 2 – the rich collection of more than 130,000 archaeological, historical and fine art works from multiple collections spanning 500,000 years of history will once again be unveiled to the public: flint blades, Egyptian mummy cover in painted wood, Gallic coins, medieval swords in iron, pre-Columbian statuettes, Renaissance paintings, jewelry and ceramics from various periods... without forgetting the funeral setting of the heart of Anne of Brittany made of gold, of enamel and wood, made in 1514 at the request of the queen, stolen in April 2018 before being dug up by investigators a few days later in the vicinity of Saint-Nazaire.
This rich collection was founded thanks to Thomas Dobrée, son of a shipowner and informed collector, who had acquired this mansion of the XVe century, in front of which he built a vast brick building of Anglo-Norman architecture. On his death, he bequeathed the whole to the department. The museum will open in 1899, combining its personal collection with that of a gift from the archaeological and historical society of Nantes and Loire-Inférieure - the former name of the department.
The restoration site concerned all the buildings of this atypical place that mixes the eras with a neo-medieval house, the manor and two contemporary extensions in the heart of Anglo-Norman gardens. Presentation of this new cultural gem with Julie Pellegrin, its director and curator.
The Dobrée Museum will reopen on May 18 after twelve years of closure. What is the history of this establishment?
The departmental museum Dobrée opened its doors in 1899 in the heart of Nantes, within a real estate complex consisting of a 15th century mansion and a neo-Romanesque palace of the late nineteenthe In the 1970s a brutalist building was added. The establishment houses mainly the collection of the former Archaeological and Historical Society of Nantes and Loire-Inférieure as well as the personal collections of Thomas Dobrée who descended from a rich family of shipowners and who cultivated a taste as informed as eclectic. In total, our team has 130,000 pieces spanning 500,000 years of history on five continents, including archeology, art, ceramics, coins, weapons, ancient books…
The museum benefited from a major renovation campaign. What was its objective?
After more than a hundred years of opening to the public, the Musée Dobrée closed its doors in 2011. In 2016, a renovation campaign was decided and work began five years later. The first was to completely rethink the accessibility of the museum, improve reception and traffic on the site and of course restore the buildings to bring them up to standard and offer a completely new presentation of the collections. We have also added an extension to the modern building and created a one-hectare Anglo-Norman garden that should satisfy both young and botanical lovers.
What will visitors see in this completely renovated Dobrée museum?
It is above all a museum of collectors that directly addresses the curiosity of all our visitors, whatever their horizon. We wanted to create a warm setting for the 2,400 objects that will be exhibited. Our ambition is to give everyone the impression that they are here at home, free to enjoy the places at their leisure, to admire the works, to cultivate themselves, or simply to relax for a coffee, a reading break in the garden.
The museum route and scenography, designed by the Adeline Rispal workshop for the 2,000 m2 of permanent exhibition spaces and the 400 m2 of temporary exhibition area give pride of place to contemporary scenographic codes and multimedia mediation devices, without denying anything of the cabinet atmosphere of curiosity. It is a museum with variable geometry that invites visitors to come and return. It is also a museum that we wanted to embody thanks to our team of ambassadors, students and volunteers that we trained in spontaneous mediation with the public.
Theatre visits for the European Night of Museums
Visitors will be able to rediscover the Musée Dobrée on the occasion of the European Night of Museums on 18 May through many dance, acrobatic and theatre shows imagined by the companies Oro and Anachrome Theatre. The museum will also offer activities centered on the museum’s collections and one-night guests can browse the home of Thomas Dobrée from the cellar to the attic in 45 minutes flat, to sharpen their curiosity for the museum. The party will not stop on May 18 at midnight since admission to the museum will be free for all until June 2.
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