On rue Bouffard, the MADD, Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, reopens its doors with an exhibition that places the body at the heart of matter. “Céramiques, corps sensibles” runs from 22 April 2026 to 4 January 2028, under curator Bérengère Bussioz.
After four years of renovation work, the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design reopens its doors on rue Bouffard, inside the historic Hôtel de Lalande. For this rebirth, the MADD makes a strong statement with “Céramiques, corps sensibles” (Ceramics, Sensitive Bodies), an exhibition bringing together 80 pieces from every continent, spanning from the 3rd millennium BCE to the most contemporary creations.
At a glance
The exhibition sets 80 ceramic pieces side by side, from the oldest, shaped nearly 5,000 years ago, to works by today’s artists, revealing the permanence of forms and the richness of a deeply cultural material. Over 40 artists and artisans are featured, each showing a distinct way of shaping, firing, and refining clay.
The exhibition is enriched with audio and video archives that show artists and craftspeople in their workshops: the gestures of throwing on a wheel, a kiln heating up, hands kneading clay. A way of understanding that behind every piece lies a body at work with the material, hence the exhibition’s title.
Closed for four years for major renovation, the museum reopens on 22 April 2026 with the wing along rue Boulan: reception, shop, restaurant and new exhibition spaces, along with the site’s former prison. The historic mansion, still under renovation, is due to welcome the public in 2027. “Céramiques, corps sensibles” thus inaugurates this new chapter for the museum, in the historic heart of the Saint-Pierre district.
Allow 1 to 1.5 hours to explore the exhibition comfortably, taking time to listen to the audio archives and to linger over both the oldest pieces and the contemporary creations.
Yes: the exhibition appeals both to decorative arts enthusiasts and to newcomers discovering the MADD for the first time on the occasion of its reopening. No prior knowledge is needed to appreciate the diversity of techniques and origins on display.
💡 Bordeaux City Tours’ tip
The MADD sits at the heart of the Saint-Pierre district, among cobbled streets, 18th-century façades and gourmet addresses: the perfect opportunity to extend your visit with a stroll through this historic neighbourhood, just steps from Place du Parlement and the banks of the Garonne.
The MADD is about a 4-minute walk from the Gambetta stop of our Bordeaux Visiotour Hop-on Hop-off bus, ideal for easily reaching the Grand Théâtre and the Triangle d’Or before or after your visit.
Allow 1 to 1.5 hours for the exhibition alone.
€4.50 for entry to the exhibition.
The exhibition runs from 22 April 2026 to 4 January 2028.
No, only the wing along rue Boulan and the former prison are accessible from April 2026; the historic mansion will reopen in 2027.
At 39 rue Bouffard, in the Saint-Pierre district, right in the historic centre of Bordeaux.
Bordeaux is rich in history and heritage with its 350 UNESCO listed buildings. Each one more unusual than the next, don’t miss out on discovering them.
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