Displaying works from the Villa Vauban collection under a variety of aspects, the exhibition primarily aims to arouse the visitors’ curiosity. Over 70 paintings, watercolours, engravings and sculptures from the 17th to 21st centuries, presented as pairs of opposites or in comparison, invite you to a playful and instructive discovery tour. The unusual presentation of the works as well as a multitude of educational offers make this show accessible to everyone.
The exhibition allows visitors of all ages and educational levels, with or without disabilities, to find out what exactly distinguishes works of art from different epochs. By comparing works with each other, fundamental assessment criteria used by art historians are conveyed. The exhibition tour includes the following topics: Two types of sculpture; Paintings and copies; Of men and animals; Historicism and tableau vivant; Journeys and the longing for Italy; People in costumes; Childhood and school; Variations on a theme. On the basis of these topics, the exhibition also offers information on general questions of the appreciation of art – What is worthy of artistic representation? What art genres are there? How to distinguish the different styles? How do I view and “read” a painting – always with the aim of sharpening the visitors’ observational skills.
Just like the first edition in 2017, the new Museum for all is based on the concept of accessibility and inclusion (Design for all). Thus, every visitor can discover the exhibits in his own way, according to his motor or cognitive abilities. Special installations and adapted furniture provide an original and interactive approach to art: hands-on sculptures and tactile models of some paintings, multilingual information materials, explanatory films, a puzzle book for children... Provided disguises and a photo machine enable the public to transform themselves into the protagonists of a work of art. Furthermore, a new app can be downloaded that provides additional information about the works and serves as a reading aid for the visually impaired. One room of the exhibition has been arranged as a “children’s museum”.
In addition to the classic educational offers (multilingual regular guided tours, workshops, children’s birthdays, etc.), the museum again offers a cultural programme for people with disabilities.