In the French city of Roubaix, near Lille, the Museum of Art and Industry, better known as "The Swimming Pool" (La Piscine), has reopened after renovation, according to Lonely Planet.
The unique museum is located in the building of what was once the most beautiful French swimming pool and It houses a rich collection of over 70,000 works of art, including works by Picasso, Di Rosa, and the Swiss sculptor Giacometti. La Piscine is illuminated by giant stained-glass windows, and its perimeter is surrounded by marble statues. The Art Deco pool itself was built in 1932. After 53 years, it closed. In 2001, the building became the Museum of Art and Industry.
Over the past 16 years, the world's only swimming pool museum has attracted over 3 million visitors. It was later named the best art museum in France outside of Paris. Its main highlight remains the beautiful 40-meter swimming pool in the main gallery, La Piscine. In 2017, the museum closed for renovation. During the renovation, its space expanded to 86,000 square meters, and three more galleries were added to the exhibition.
Today, the museum hosts approximately 15 temporary exhibitions annually. Its core collection from the 19th and 20th centuries includes works by Giacometti, Rodin, and Picasso, as well as paintings, ceramics, jewelry, glass, and furniture. It also hosts performances and fashion shows. La Piscine is open from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Thursday and until 8:00 PM on Friday. On weekends, the museum is open from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Tickets start at €9.
Besides La Piscine, France boasts several other unusual museums. Among them is the Paris Sewer Museum. It is located in the tunnels of Paris's working sewer system. Here, visitors can see numerous models and real sewer machines, as well as learn about the network's history and the water purification methods practiced in the city since the time of the ancient Roman settlements.
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Source: news.turizm.ru