Snøhetta to Expand and Renovate Lille Natural History Museum
The Lille Natural History Museum, housed in a late 19th-century edifice with 1950s extensions, saw a 19% rise in visitors between 2019 and 2021, leading to plans for expansion. The city has sanctioned a renovation project focused on energy efficiency, designed by the Norwegian firm Snøhetta, renowned for its work on the Oslo Opera House. This project will introduce a glass link uniting the museum's three original wings, featuring a brick exterior and wooden interior. The 1950s additions will be removed to create gardens, while the historic structure will be enhanced with thermal insulation and solar panels. With 450,000 specimens (only 5% on display), the museum, which opened in 1822 and relocated in 1902, is set to reopen in autumn 2025, with renovations commencing in 2023.
Key facts
- The Musée d'Histoire Naturelle de Lille saw a 19% visitor increase between 2019 and 2021.
- Snøhetta won an international competition to design the expansion and renovation.
- A new glass 'spine' will connect the three original wings of the museum.
- The 1950s structures will be demolished to create gardens with shade trees.
- The original building will receive thermal insulation, photovoltaic panels, and rainwater collection systems.
- The museum holds a collection of 450,000 specimens, with only 5% currently on display.
- The museum is scheduled to reopen in autumn 2025.
- The museum was requisitioned by the Wehrmacht in 1940, and its taxidermy was used for Wagner opera sets.
Entities
Institutions
- Musée d'Histoire Naturelle de Lille
- Snøhetta
- Oslo Opera House
- National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion
- Lascaux Museum
- Hôtel de Ville
- Wehrmacht
Locations
- Lille
- France
- Oslo
- New York
- Paris
- Germany