When I first planned my trip to Lille, I thought of estaminets, waffles from Meert, and the city’s vibrant Flemish architecture. Museums were supposed to be my rainy-day backup plan—the kind of places you pop into when the skies refuse to clear. But Lille surprised me. Each museum I visited became a highlight, not a fallback. In fact, these museums were so fascinating that I would have been happy to spend sunny afternoons indoors, letting paintings, sculptures, and artifacts tell their stories.
I’ll take you through four museums in Lille that I personally explored. For each, I’ll share:
• The three artworks or exhibits I loved most
• Three others I’d recommend you not miss
• My candid thoughts on service, accessibility, and atmosphere
• Pros and cons from a traveler’s perspective
• Practical tips on tickets, discounts, and booking platforms
• Exact location and transport advice from train stations or airports
If you’re anything like me—someone who travels with an appetite for beauty, history, and the occasional goosebump-inducing masterpiece—then these museums will steal entire days from your itinerary, and you won’t regret a single moment.
Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille
The Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille is the beating heart of Lille’s cultural scene, often described as the “second museum of France” after the Louvre in Paris. I stepped inside on a brisk morning, and from the moment I saw the marble staircase bathed in soft light, I felt like I was in for something monumental.
My Three Favorite Works
- “The Descent from the Cross” by Peter Paul Rubens
I’ve seen countless religious works across Europe, but Rubens has a way of grabbing you by the shoulders and shaking your soul awake. The flesh tones, the cascading drapery, the anguish on the Virgin’s face—it all felt visceral. Standing in front of it, I almost forgot to breathe. - Reliefs Models of Lille (18th Century)
In the basement, the museum holds enormous scale models of Lille and other fortified cities. These were built in the 1700s as military planning tools. I spent over an hour tracing the city walls with my eyes, realizing how much Lille has changed and yet remained itself. - “The Young Martyr” by Paul Delaroche
This haunting painting shows a Christian martyr floating in a river, a faint halo glowing above her. The water shimmered with a strange serenity. I left that room thinking about how beauty and tragedy often intertwine.
Three Recommended Works
• “The Medusa” by Théodore Géricault – A preparatory work, raw and emotional.
• “Portrait of Louis XIV” by Hyacinthe Rigaud – The Sun King, full of pomp, watching you with regal disdain.
• The Egyptian Collection – Small, but with striking mummies and sarcophagi.
Service, Pros & Cons
• Pros:
o Audio guides in English were excellent.
o Staff was warm, approachable, and patient with questions.
o The museum café served surprisingly good quiches and pastries.
• Cons:
o Some galleries felt dimly lit, making photography difficult.
o The ticket line was slow—better to book online.
Practical Info
• Tickets: €7 standard / €4 for students and seniors / free on the first Sunday of each month.
• Booking: I booked mine via billetterie.lille.fr and skipped the line.
• Opening Hours: Mon closed, Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00.
• Location: Place de la République, Lille. Just a 10-minute walk from Lille Flandres Station.
Musée de l’Hospice Comtesse
Hidden in the old town, this museum is set inside a 13th-century hospital founded by Countess Jeanne of Flanders. The building alone is worth the visit: cobblestone courtyards, wooden beams, and a chapel that feels like stepping back into medieval Lille.
My Three Favorite Works
- The Flemish Tapestries
They were vibrant with scenes of everyday life—harvests, markets, and feasts. I felt like I could almost hear the laughter of people long gone. - The Old Pharmacy Cabinets
Bottles of elixirs, herbs, and potions sat in rows. It felt like Harry Potter’s apothecary but with centuries of authentic history. - The Chapel Frescoes
Simple yet powerful—delicate saints painted with a kind of sincerity that modern art sometimes lacks.
Three Recommended Works
• Flemish Wooden Sculptures – Rough-hewn yet full of devotion.
• Paintings by Louis Watteau – Especially his depictions of Lille fairs.
• The Kitchen Utensils Collection – Copper pots that made me hungry just looking at them.
Service, Pros & Cons
• Pros:
o Quiet atmosphere, far from the tourist crush.
o Staff gave me a free leaflet in English with background info.
• Cons:
o Signage mostly in French.
o Limited seating inside.
Practical Info
• Tickets: €3.60 standard / €2.60 reduced / free first Sunday monthly.
• Booking: Tickets can be purchased at the entrance; usually no queue.
• Opening Hours: Mon closed, Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00.
• Location: 32 Rue de la Monnaie, Vieux-Lille. A 15-minute stroll from the Grand Place.
LaM – Lille Métropole Museum of Modern, Contemporary and Outsider Art
LaM is technically located in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, just outside Lille, but I insist: it’s worth the tram ride. It houses over 7,000 works, including pieces by Picasso, Braque, Modigliani, and a jaw-dropping outsider art collection.
My Three Favorite Works
- “Olga in a Hat with a Fur Collar” by Pablo Picasso
Seeing a Picasso outside Paris felt almost rebellious. The intimate scale and muted tones caught me off guard—it was Picasso, but softer. - Modigliani’s Portraits
Elongated faces, dreamy eyes. They felt like old friends I hadn’t met yet. - Dubuffet’s Outsider Art Collection
Raw, strange, almost childlike—but deeply human. It made me rethink what “art” even means.
Three Recommended Works
• Braque’s Cubist Still Lifes – A puzzle for the eyes.
• Joan Miró’s Sculptures – Playful, whimsical, full of joy.
• Calder’s Mobiles – They moved gently in the light, hypnotic.
Service, Pros & Cons
• Pros:
o Large, airy galleries with great natural light.
o A sculpture park outside—free to wander even without a ticket.
• Cons:
o A bit far from Lille city center.
o Café options were limited.
Practical Info
• Tickets: €10 standard / €7 reduced / free first Sunday monthly.
• Booking: Available at lam-lille.fr.
• Opening Hours: Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00, closed Mon.
• Location: 1 Allée du Musée, Villeneuve-d’Ascq. From Lille Flandres, take Metro Line 1 to Pont de Bois, then a short walk.
Musée de l’Institut Pasteur de Lille
This one was unexpected. Tucked into the Pasteur Institute, it celebrates Louis Pasteur and the medical breakthroughs made in Lille. As someone fascinated by science, I found it surprisingly moving.
My Three Favorite Works
- Pasteur’s Laboratory Reconstruction
His desk, flasks, microscopes—it felt like stepping into the birthplace of modern microbiology. - Exhibits on the Discovery of Vaccines
Illustrated with old medical tools and documents. It made me appreciate how far we’ve come. - The Original Research Journals
Seeing Pasteur’s handwriting gave me chills. These scribbles shaped the future of medicine.
Three Recommended Works
• Period Scientific Instruments – Glassware and devices that look almost steampunk.
• Old Public Health Posters – Both informative and artistic.
• Exhibits on Tuberculosis Research – Lille played a big role in combating TB.
Service, Pros & Cons
• Pros:
o Staff passionate and knowledgeable.
o Small crowds—felt intimate.
• Cons:
o Limited English explanations.
o A bit niche; maybe not for everyone.
Practical Info
• Tickets: €6 standard / €3 reduced.
• Booking: Usually no need to book; pay on-site.
• Opening Hours: Tue–Sat afternoons only (check ahead online).
• Location: 17 Rue du Professeur Calmette, near Lille Grand Palais. Accessible via Metro Line 2, Lille Grand Palais stop.
Why Lille’s Museums Are More Than Rainy-Day Plans
By the time I left Lille, I realized something profound: these museums had reshaped my trip. They weren’t filler; they were anchors.
• At the Palais des Beaux-Arts, I stood humbled before Rubens.
• At the Hospice Comtesse, I felt history whisper through stone walls.
• At LaM, I questioned my very definition of art.
• At the Institut Pasteur, I walked in the footsteps of a man who changed the world.
If you’re planning a trip to Lille, don’t save the museums for cloudy skies. Build them into your itinerary from the start. Book tickets online to skip queues, take advantage of free first Sundays, and leave enough time to linger—you’ll want it.
And if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself sitting on a bench in front of a painting, notebook in hand, scribbling impressions as if you could trap a little bit of the museum’s magic on paper. Lille’s museums aren’t just buildings filled with art and artifacts; they’re time machines, sanctuaries, and classrooms all at once.
So yes, come for the waffles and the Flemish facades—but stay for the museums. Trust me, they’re unforgettable.
