The Laon Museum of Art and Archeology is going to get a makeover. The city’s main museum facility is about to undergo a major renovation and extension project, intended to modernize public reception while respecting the old buildings. A project management competition was launched to find the future architect.
According to Mayor Eric Delhaye, the work program provides for both the renovation of the existing building, the improvement of the reserves, and the creation of an extension. This should make it possible to better promote the medieval history of Laon, particularly around the Le Nain brothers, as well as local archaeology.
The project also includes the development of an immersive room, designed as a heritage interpretation center, in order to strengthen the mediation systems and the attractiveness of the museum. The challenge is twofold: improve reception and mediation while respecting the old buildings, at the heart of a sensitive heritage site.
The voted cost of the work is 7 million euros. An amount comparable to other museum projects in the department. The Resistance Museum in Tergnier is the subject of a 3.5 million euro project, while the Jean de La Fontaine Museum in Château-Thierry was renovated for 6 million euros, after more than three years of work.
The museum occupies the former Hôtel des Templiers. Founded in 1128, the Order of the Temple in Laon benefits from the support of Bishop Barthélemy de Joux. The bishop favored its installation on land south of the canons’ enclosure. The Roman chapel of Saint-Jean-Baptiste was built around 1140: the octagon and the choir constitute the oldest parts, while the porch was added a few decades later. The museum moved there in 1891 and today benefits from the name “Musée de France”. With more than 2,200 works presented, the museum presents a journey that combines archeology and fine arts, tracing nearly 700,000 years of history, from Laon to the Mediterranean basin.
