the essential Many visitors came to Castres this summer to discover the new Goya museum, a new showcase for the city’s Hispanic art collection. And if the start of July was relatively calm, activity intensified at the end of July, then in August.
Many visitors this summer, almost 13,000, came to discover the “new” Goya museum, a new showcase for the Hispanic art collection of the City of Castres. Moreover, their enthusiasm was often shared at the end of the visit and in the museum’s guestbook. (see box). “Yes, the feedback from visitors is really excellent! To read and hear from people, it was a real and beautiful surprise for them. And then the attendance figures are really excellent so it’s only happiness,” confirmed Jean-Philippe Audouy, deputy mayor responsible for culture.
More than 36,000 people welcomed since opening
Indeed, if the start of summer was relatively calm with 5,571 visitors, activity intensified at the end of July, then in August with 7,185 visitors, some from all over the world: from the Kingdom -United, Belgium, the Netherlands but also the United States, Australia, Japan and Algeria. In total since the museum opened on April 14, more than 36,000 people have been welcomed.
It must be said that the program was appetizing! Throughout the summer period, the museum’s mediators introduced the temporary exhibition (Goya in the eye of Picasso) presenting engravings by these two great Spanish artists and highlighting the strong thematic links between these two figures. art. “This temporary exhibition really created a great dynamic. People enjoyed coming and coming back, some of them even, because the work that was done by Joëlle Arches and her team was exceptional,” added the elected official.
This summer, children were also able to take advantage of the story-telling or family visits intended for them to follow the adventures of the bull Domino through the arenas. Finally, thanks to the workshops of artists Élisabeth Delétang and Tarik Essahli, the youngest were also able to learn the art of engraving and drawing, facing the works of the great masters, then in the workshop to create in their turn their masterpieces.
A real dynamic for the City
The renovation of the museum also attracted many visitors curious to discover the new face of the Goya Museum. “It’s a real success! People were able to rediscover the old episcopal palace, the facades of the courtyard and more generally, the splendor of the building. Also, they rediscovered the museum trail which has been completely modified,” explained Jean-Philippe Audouy.
Beyond the museum, the entire city benefited from this summer attendance. “This reopening is a success for the Goya museum but also for the city. People who come to the museum will also walk in the city center, discover the houses on the Agout, see the Platé church again, cross the place Jean Jaurès and go to the different shops. So it is also a dynamic for the City of Castres yes”, confirmed the elected official for culture before concluding: “It is a great museum in France which has a recognition from its peers, particularly for its large Hispanic collections. And the partnership agreement at the opening with the director of the Louvre Museum confirms this. And then there is also scientific recognition. In this sense, and in a common desire to enrich the knowledge and dissemination of Spanish art, a master class dedicated to the Spanish school of the Golden Age was organized with the Louvre and the University of Cergy-Pontoise at the beginning of July. And other collaborations are to come”.
The “nuggets” of the guestbook
Available from the museum shop, the guestbook is a key witness to the success of the new establishment. During their visit, visitors took real pleasure in filling the pages of this book by expressing their feelings and giving their opinions on this new showcase of the Hispanic art collection. Here are some extracts: “Very beautiful exhibition, museum to recommend!”, “A grandiose collection and a remarkable renovation”, “A real surprise and a magnificent cultural nugget restored with talent and taste”, “What a dazzling museum!”, ” Too intensive lighting which causes reflections on the paintings but apart from that, everything is perfect!”, “Magnificent and inspiring paintings”, “I remembered a dark, dusty and provincial place… Magnificent restoration and beautiful highlights, well done !”…
Find the latest news from the Goya Museum on the website: www.museegoya.fr
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