Palace of Fine Arts

The Museum of Fine Arts of Lille

The Lille audio-guided tour takes you to a vast square, even larger than the Grand-Place, laid out after the medieval era during the expansion of the city led by Vauban. It houses the Palais des Beaux-Arts, one of the largest museums in France.

The centre of the new Lille

The square, first called Place Napoléon III, is the centre of the new perimeter of Lille, desired by power and culture. On one side stands the prefecture, built during the reorganisation of the departments; on the other, the Palais des Beaux-Arts. Inaugurated at the end of the nineteenth century, this monumental museum houses one of the richest collections in France, after that of the Louvre.

What there is to see

The Palais des Beaux-Arts presents rich collections of paintings by European masters, sculptures, ceramics and relief maps of fortified cities. Its monumental nineteenth-century architecture, its great façade and its atrium make it a setting worthy of the works. It is an essential visit for art lovers, in the heart of modern Lille.

Practical information

The Museum of Fine Arts is on Place de la République, in the centre of Lille. The visit follows its own schedule, with a charge, whose opening times may vary with the season. The monumental façade can be contemplated freely from the square.

What is the importance of the Museum of Fine Arts of Lille?

It houses one of the richest collections in France, considered one of the most important after that of the Louvre.

What can you see at the Museum of Fine Arts?

Paintings by European masters, sculptures, ceramics and remarkable relief maps of fortified cities.