La Piscine

Got up early this morning to catch the Eurostar to Lille. After lunch we headed out of Lille to Roubaix to view La Piscine (Art and History Museum). It is more formally known as La Piscine-Musée d'Art et d'Industrie André Diligent or Le musée d'Art et d'Industrie de la ville de Roubaix, but its common name derives from the fact that it is housed in a former indoor swimming pool, with its fabulous Art Deco interior, and lit by a huge stained glass window at both ends.

The swimming pool was constructed between 1927 and 1932 by the Lille architect Albert Baert. It closed as a swimming pool in 1985, and was remodelled as a museum by the architect Jean-Paul Philippon, opening in 2000. A modern entrance building, special exhibition space and garden were constructed within the roof-less shell of an adjoining textile factory.

This fantastic 20th century art museum houses an impressive collection of 19th- and 20th-century art. The museum covers fine and applied art (a concept more English than French), and displays painting, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, and glass by both local artists and internationally known names.

What a great use of a wonderful building.