Saint-Étienne inaugurates the National Design Gallery: 30,000 pieces accessible for the first time

This is a groundbreaking event in the French cultural landscape. The National Design Gallery opened its doors to the public on Thursday, June 11, in the heart of the Cité du Design in Saint-Étienne, in the renovated buildings of the former Royal Art Manufactory, established in 1764. This new 1,000 m² space, directed by Aurélie Voltz, who has also headed the MAMC+ Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art since 2017, required an investment of €8,8 million, funded by the French government and Saint-Étienne Métropole. Without its own collection, it will draw upon a heritage of more than 30,000 pieces held throughout France, notably from the Centre Pompidou, the Centre National des Arts Plastiques, the Manufactures Nationales de Sèvres, the Mobilier National, and the Frac Grand Large des Hauts-de-France. "A decisive step in the development of an invaluable heritage," rejoiced Aurélie Voltz.

A place conceived as a living space, rooted in the city's industrial history

The project is part of a long-standing connection with Saint-Étienne's manufacturing history. "This gallery articulates our shared heritage and future. It represents an essential continuity between the craftsman and the designer," declared Mayor Régis Juanico at the inauguration. The only French city to be a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of design since 2010, Saint-Étienne has also hosted the International Design Biennial since 1998 and the Cité du Design (Design City) since 2009. The new space is designed in three distinct parts: an experimental area, a large narrative nave, and a mezzanine dedicated to discussions and learning. "Culture must be a common good," emphasized Régis Juanico.

Design in hand: 400 works from the 19th century to today for the inaugural exhibition

For its launch, the Gallery presents "Design in Hand: From Language to Object," on view until March 7, 2027. Curator Laurence Mauderli, a design historian, has placed this inaugural exhibition under the sign of the hand, "the hand that makes, that transmits, that connects, and that invites us to cross the threshold." Nearly 400 works, prototypes, everyday objects, documents, and creations spanning from the 19th century to the present day are brought together. The famous Marie robot by Moulinex engages in a dialogue with The Handshake screen by the Abäke collective (2014) and references to the manufacturing roots of Saint-Étienne. This serves as a reminder that design, beyond its aesthetic and utilitarian qualities, is also, according to the project's creators, "a powerful tool for understanding a society and an era."