From June 6, 2026, to January 3, 2027, the Crozatier Museum showcases the expertise of workshops in Le Puy-en-Velay, Alençon, the Gobelins Manufactory, Sèvres, and other renowned locations, through works in lace, ceramics, monumental tapestries, and exceptional furniture. For 50 years, the Mobilier National (National Furniture Collection) has upheld French excellence by creating and restoring tens of thousands of pieces of furniture and objects for furnishing and decorating public buildings in France and abroad.
A landmark exhibition
in the heart of Le Puy-en-Velay
To mark the fiftieth anniversary of the national lace workshops and conservatories of Alençon and Puy-en-Velay, the Crozatier Museum is bringing together for the first time the most remarkable contemporary creations from the manufactures of the Mobilier national.
For over four centuries, the Mobilier national has been dedicated to the conservation, restoration, and promotion of a unique heritage comprised of furniture, tapestries, objets d'art, and textile creations. As the heir to the great French manufacturers, it perpetuates exceptional craftsmanship while fostering dialogue between artisans and contemporary artists.
This exceptional exhibition brings together nearly 80 works produced in national workshops based on the creations of major artists such as Sonia Delaunay, Paco Rabanne, Hans Hartung, Jean-Michel Othoniel and François Morellet.
A rich program
for all audiences
More than 100 events will accompany the exhibition throughout its duration: guided tours, demonstrations of know-how, creative workshops, conferences and meetings will allow visitors to discover the behind-the-scenes aspects of these professions of excellence.
Enjoy the escape game A burglary that came close! (Ages 10 and up) for a fun family outing and a unique way to experience this exhibition! You'll have one hour to solve as many puzzles as possible, collect the artworks, and escape before the inspector and his team arrive! Hurry!
When? 7 days a week during the summer holidays at 11am, 2pm and 4pm.
Booking required : maximum group size of 6, price of €10 per group.
A journey to the heart
of contemporary creation
Spread over 440 m² on the first floor of the museum, the exhibition is discovered through six rooms in a row, each exploring a theme that reveals the richness of the collections of the Mobilier national.
01
Innovation & tradition
This first room shows how ancestral techniques continue to inspire contemporary creation. Early works from lace workshops are presented alongside recent pieces, demonstrating the remarkable adaptability of these skills to modern art.
02
Dishonesty
Visitors here discover works that transform and reinvent existing objects. The "Alienated" series illustrates this approach: discarded furniture entrusted to contemporary artists becomes true works of art, imbued with humor, poetry, or critical reflection.
03
Lines & curves
This section explores the expressive power of geometric and organic forms. Among the emblematic pieces are the variations of Pierrette Bloch's work Mailles , interpreted in Puy lace, Alençon lace and Beauvais tapestry.
04
Nature's
Nature remains an inexhaustible source of inspiration for contemporary artists. Tapestries, lace, and textile creations evoke landscapes, plants, and the fragility of the living world through sensitive and poetic works.
05
Organic modulations
Inspired by biology and natural forms, these creations explore materials, textures, and volumes. Furniture, lighting, and tapestries engage in a dialogue within a resolutely contemporary artistic language.
06
Heavens
The final room invites us to look up towards infinity. The artists explore our relationship to the universe, to space, and to major environmental issues through works that are both contemplative and politically engaged.
The know-how
serving artists
The exhibition also pays tribute to the craftspeople who bring the creators' projects to life. Lacemakers, tapestry weavers, cabinetmakers, ceramists, and upholsterers translate artistic intentions with exceptional technical mastery.
Their work testifies to the vitality of national manufacturers and the transmission of rare skills that today make French craftsmanship famous.
Themes
