2023-11-01 18:32:23
On March 19, 1895, at the end of a cold but sunny winter day, dozens of workers left their factory, rue Saint-Victor, in the heart of the Monplaisir district, in Lyon. This seemingly banal scene would become the subject of the very first film in history, thanks to the cinematograph: a device capable of recording and projecting, developed by Auguste and Louis Lumière.
On the other side of this alley, now rue du Premier-Film, the house of the two brothers no longer exists, but the family home is still standing: since 1982, it has housed a legendary museum which pays homage to the technical, artistic, industrial but also intimate history of the advent of the 7th art. To better tell it to the general public, after a year of work, the establishment is offering a scenography “modernized”.
Getting closer to “the essence of cinema”
Originally, the project concerned a simple upgrading of standards for people with reduced mobility, “but we quickly seized the opportunity to rethink the route”explains Jean-Marc Lamotte, responsible for heritage and collections, conceding that old museography was sometimes judged “austere”. This 1.7 million euro project – partly financed by the CNC and local authorities – therefore enabled a technical overhaul, the installation of an elevator, the rehabilitation of the basement projection rooms, but also and especially the ” update “ of the exhibition.
Some of the explanatory panels and viewing on individual tablets have been replaced by projections on the wall or by a common screen. The rooms on the first floor, repainted in midnight blue, allow you to fully immerse yourself. “A more collective and more immersive experience that brings us closer to the essence of cinema! »recalls Jean-Marc Lamotte.
“Bring together as many people as possible”
The purpose of the Museum, which the profusion of inventions within and around the Lumière family sometimes made confusing, is now more accessible. Using, for example, a simple and clear genealogy, presented at the start of the visit or an improved version of the Evolution Counter, which exhibits the devices that preceded or followed the famous cinematograph.
Some installations, such as the photorama, have also disappeared in favor of new rooms. Like the zoetrope (optical toy which gives the illusion of image movement, Editor’s note) by the sculptor Émilie Landot who greatly attracts and impresses children. “The objective is thisrejoices Jean-Marc Lamottebring together as many people as possible around the history of cinema.”
#Lyon #Lumière #Museum #makeover