Musée National Adrien Dubouché

The museum and collection

The Adrien Dubouché National Museum in Limoges exhibits the different techniques used for ceramic-making. It also traces back over the history of art and civilizations through the prism of porcelain, a material that continues to reveal its advantages today. Visitors are greeted in an emblematic venue, designed to enhance the display of all 300,000 of its pieces.

The assignment

Meyvaert realized the complete renovation of the museum’s three buildings over a period of two years. The new museum route is chronological and thematic. In three different sections it presents ceramic techniques, the history of ceramics since ancient times and finally the museum’s collection of Limoges porcelain and glass. Our contribution encompassed the manufacturing, delivery and installation of custom-made showcases for three different zones of the museum, including the climate control, lighting, multimedia, object mounting, exhibition fit-out, furniture and signage.

The project: challenges & result

We split the project over three phases, one for each dedicated zone of the museum. The most fun and challenging was zone B with the special shaped display cases. It gave us the opportunity to translate the architect’s vision from a concept drawing into a functional design, meeting all aesthetic and technical requirements. We researched and prototyped different materials and construction techniques to create the faceted exterior, evaluating and testing them in terms of durability, weight, aesthetic result, budget and reproducibility. We evaluated frequently used materials such as steel and other metals. Ultimately, for the very first time we used epoxy to create a robust shell with flawless edges, weighing no more than 95 kg, also making it easy to transport. From an ergonomic point of view, the case performs very well. The hinged heavy glass doors can be opened using only one hand.