Atelier des Lumières

Jul 16, 2018

By: Kylie Condon

After museum hopping around Paris, I was in need of a break from the traditional monotony of waiting in lines to stare at paintings that I could barely get a good view of. No disrespect Ms. Mona Lisa, love you and your cheeky smirk. I heard about the newly opened Atelier des Lumières and it sounded like the perfect next stop.

Having just opened in April 2018, this site is a one of kind experience in the 11th arrondissement. Translating to “Workshop of Lights,” it can best be described as a digital museum of fine art. The space, which is a renovated 19th-century foundry, boasts 26-foot-high walls and over 21,000 square feet of open floor space that video installations are projected on. Their current exhibition focuses on the works of famous Viennese artists such as Gustav Klimt. As soon as guests enter the space, they can wander through Klimt’s famous paintings with the accompaniment of original music.

The building itself is comprised of two levels so you can enjoy the view from the upstairs balcony or downstairs. Experience something different from every view- there are no bad spots! If you need a break from all the stimulation, you can check out the bar on the first floor and then pop back into the immersion. Atelier des Lumières is definitely a cool, alternative way to get your art history on once you’re all Louvre-d out. That being said, you can probably be sensory-satisfied after about an hour/hour and a half. Or hey, grab some drinks at the bar and spend the whole day there! You do you.