Nuit des Musées à Belfort

The Nuit des Musées in Belfort: a night to discover art and history

Every third Saturday in May, the City of Belfort participates in the European Night of Museums, a cultural event created in 2005 to make museums accessible to all, free of charge, during a festive and friendly evening. From dusk until around midnight, Belfort's museums open their doors and offer unique activities to showcase their collections in a new light.

Tour 41 and the Maurice Jardot donation

The Tour 41 has become the hub for modern art in Belfort, housing the collections of the Museum of Modern Art during its renovation. The jewel of these collections is the Maurice Jardot donation, assembled by this Belfort-born art dealer who forged close ties with the greatest artists of the 20th century.

This exceptional donation includes works by:

• Pablo Picasso — master paintings and prints
• Georges Braque — landscapes and cubist compositions
• Fernand Léger — colorful geometric compositions
• Juan Gris — cubist collages and paintings
• André Masson — surrealist works
• Henri Laurens — sculptures and drawings

During the Nuit des Musées, 30-minute guided presentations allow visitors to discover these works inspired by the Cubist and Surrealist movements, in the special atmosphere of a nocturnal visit.

Activities and tours for the Nuit des Musées 2025

In 2025, the Nuit des Musées in Belfort was held on Saturday, May 17th. Tour 41 offered guided tours of the Jardot donation at 8:15 PM, 9:15 PM, 10:15 PM, and 11:15 PM, by reservation. Free access was possible from 8 PM to midnight. Visitors could also enjoy the other collections of Belfort's museums in a nocturnal atmosphere conducive to contemplation and discovery.

The Belfort Museum Network

Belfort has a rich and varied museum network:

• The History Museum in the citadel — archaeological, military, and ethnological collections
• Tour 41 — modern and contemporary art, Jardot donation
• The Museum of Fine Arts (under renovation) — painting and sculpture

These three institutions work together to offer a coherent and complementary cultural experience during the Nuit des Musées.

A free and festive event

The Nuit des Musées is entirely free and accessible to all. The evening can be organized by combining several visits thanks to the proximity of the museums in Belfort's historic center. The citadel district, illuminated at night, offers an exceptional setting for this nocturnal cultural escapade.