La Piscine

Located in Roubaix in Lille’s suburbs, La Piscine – Musée d’Art et d’Industrie André Diligent is a museum housed in a former swimming pool complex that offers a unique cultural experience. Its diverse collection includes fine arts, sculpture and applied arts, all displayed amidst the elegant architecture of the renovated Art Deco building.

The museum is housed in an Art Deco-style former swimming pool complex that was built between 1927 and 1932. However, its origins date back to 1835 when the city’s textile mills created an archive of textile designs, which later became the basis of a local museum that opened in 1865. The Second World War forced that museum to close its doors in 1940 and the remnants of this collection, along with a donation from the Musée d’Orsay, formed the foundation of this museum, which opened to the public in 2001.

What to see at La Piscine

For many visitors, the museum’s main attraction is its unique setting within a former Art Deco swimming pool complex. While the L’Institut du monde arabe in nearby Tourcoing is also housed in an historic swimming pool complex, La Piscine fully embraces the swimming pool theme, which leads to a stunning interior with artworks reflected in the original swimming pool.

The museum houses an extensive collection of fine arts, sculpture and applied arts, spanning various periods and styles. Visitors can explore galleries filled with paintings, ceramics, textiles and decorative arts, showcasing both local and international artists.

Notable highlights include works by renowned artists such as Camille Claudel, Pablo Picasso and Auguste Rodin.

Temporary exhibitions at La Piscine

In addition to its permanent collection, La Piscine hosts a programme of temporary exhibitions.

Current and planned exhibitions include:

Agnès b.: We love graffiti!!
agnès b. on aime le graff!!
The exhibition (until 11 January 2026) highlights graffiti as an art form rather than pollution, as noted by agnès b. Roubaix, known for its street art, will showcase graffiti’s evolution through a collaboration with URBX. This display features works from agnès b.’s collection and includes contributions from prominent graffiti artists. It reflects the artist’s long-standing support for graffiti, which she has promoted since the 1980s.

Odette Pauvert: Painting in the Art Deco Era and the Roaring Twenties – A 1920s Wardrobe
Odette Pauvert: La peinture au temps de l’art Déco et Folle Années 20 – Un vestiaire années 20
To mark the centenary of Art Deco, La Piscine focuses on painting and fashion through the work of Odette Pauvert, the first woman to win the Prix de Rome for painting. The exhibition (11 October 2025–11 January 2026) traces her career, defined by a classical and decorative approach. Supported by loans from the Beaux-Arts de Paris and Villa Médicis, it coincides with Fiesta, the seventh edition of lille3000, and includes displays from the museum’s textile collection.

Visiting La Piscine

La Piscine is in Roubaix in Lille’s suburbs, around 11km northeast of the centre of Lille. Although out in the suburbs, it is well served by public transport and it is located midway between Gare Jean-Lebas and Roubaix Grand Place metro stations, which are both around an eight-minute walk away.

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday (it is closed on Mondays). The admission fee varies depending on whether temporary exhibitions are running. However, entry is free of charge with either la C’ART or the Lille City Pass.

Visitor facilities include a gift shop and a cafe run by Lille’s iconic Maison Méert, which features a large terrace overlooking a garden.

Allow 2–3 hours for your visit.

23, rue de l’Espérance, 59100 Roubaix
Metro Gare Jean-Lebas (line 2), Roubaix Grand-Place (line 2)
Website www.roubaix-lapiscine.com
Admission €9 (€11 during temporary exhibitions), students €6 (€9 during temporary exhibitions), children (under 18) free, free with la C’ART, free with the Lille City Pass
Open Tue–Thu 11am–6pm, Fri 11am–8pm, Sat–Sun 1pm–6pm