Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon

Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon
Facade of the museum from the parc
Location within Metropole de Lyon
General information
Type	Museum
Architectural style	1930s / modern
Location	81, quai Charles de Gaules, 6th arrondissement of Lyon, Lyon, France
Coordinates	45°47′03″N 4°51′09″E / 45.78417°N 4.85250°E / 45.78417; 4.85250
Construction started	1984 (in the Musée des Beaux-Arts) 1995 (Cité Internationale)
Inaugurated	1995
Design and construction
Architect	Renzo Piano

The Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon is a museum devoted to the contemporary art, located in the 6th arrondissement of Lyon, in the Cité Internationale, next the cinema, in front of the Parc de la Tête d'Or. It had over 42,000 visitors in 2007.

The decision to create the museum occurred in 1983 and was organized in 1984, but at the time it was housed in the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon and was named Musée Saint-Pierre art contemporain. In 1988, it officially received the status of contemporary art museum granted by the Direction des Musées de France. In 1995, it moved to the 6th arrondissement in a building designed by Renzo Piano. It was inaugurated on 19 December of the same year and welcomed nearly 130,000 visitors during the two months of the 3rd Biennial of Lyon.

The building has both a 1930s facade and a modern brick volume. It has two side entrances and a 2700 sq.m. area. It has organized over a hundred exhibitions.

The museum's philosophy is to present works created by artists directly on the site. The permanent collection, which is the largest European group installations ever assembled in a museum, alternates with temporary exhibitions. Between each exhibition, a nearly six-month closure per year is necessary to put in place the future exhibition.

The museum has now become the symbol of "an open city and an uninhibited art". According to director Thierry Raspail, its funding is mainly directed by the city of Lyon, and 5% by the State.