Eleven years. That’s how long the Musée Arlaten has been closed for renovation but with the input of a leading architectural agency and the fabulous Arlesien designer Christian Lacroix, it certainly has style – just see the staircase.
Founded by the poet Frédéric Mistral in 1896, it exhibits costumes, furniture, work tools, objects of worship, illustrating Provençal life in the 19th century.
Mistral, together with six other young poets founded Félibrige, a literary movement to defend and promote Provençal language. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1904 and the money from this prize enabled him to rehouse the Musée Arlaten.
He chose the 15th century Hôtel Laval-Castellane, itself incorporating Roman remains, for his celebration of Provençal life in the 19th century.
The Jesuit Chapel, constructed in the 17th century, has been restored: it had fallen into disrepair and was used for storing potatoes and frozen meat.
Now it will serve as an exhibition space, starting this summer with an expo which is part of the Rencontres d’Arles summer festival of photography. A perfect time to visit!
This website has a very good 11-min film (in French) guiding you through all five sectors of the newly-laid out museum which is ready to open when permitted.
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