The Bassins de Lumières (The Pools of Light)

Created by the Culturespaces foundation, the Bassins de Lumières presents an immersive digital exhibition dedicated to the great artists of art history and contemporary creation. With 12,450 m² of projection space, it is the largest digital art centre in the world. It opened its doors on 10 June 2020.

An unusual place full of history

In 1941, during the Second World War, the German navy requested the construction of a submarine base in Bordeaux. The location was suitable, the water was present, the locks were functional… 6,500 French and foreign workers built the Bordeaux bunker in less than two years. It is a submarine base that covers 41,000 m². Made up of 11 cells and a 7-metre thick reinforced concrete roof, it could accommodate up to 15 large submarines.Today, the city of Bordeaux has given the cells 1 to 4 to the Culturespace foundation via the Bassins de Lumières.

An immersive digital exhibition for everyone

The Bassins de Lumières offer unforgettable visual and sound experiences over a surface area of 13,000 m², with 4 pools 110 metres long, 22 metres wide and 12 metres high. This monumental architecture enhances the immersive experience, with the visit taking place on footbridges above the water and along the huge pools.

It is an unusual and unique discovery of art from another angle, which plunges the spectator into the heart of the artworks, and which manages to captivate all audiences, even the youngest!

Several spaces for different experiences

The four huge pools display a continuous cycle of exhibitions alternating between a long series of works devoted to the great artists of art history and a shorter series of more modern works..
The Cube is a new space of 220 m² and 8 metres high, dedicated to contemporary immersive art, where creations by established or emerging digital talents are presented.
The Cistern is a 155 m², 7-metre-high space where links are developed between the original works presented in the immersive exhibitions and their museums of origin.

Le Bassins de lumières vous tente ? Venez découvrir Bordeaux grâce à notre bus panoramique à 4 mètres de haut ! La visite audio-guidée et commentée de 70 minutes vous permettra d’en connaître davantage sur les monuments incontournables de Bordeaux.

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Practical information

How to get there:

Impasse Brown de Colstoun, 33300 Bordeaux

Opening hours:

Starting from the permitted re-opening,

October 2020 to January 2021:
– from 10am to 6pm
– Friday and Saturday nights until 7pm
All Saints’ Day holidays (17/10 – 02/11) :
– from 10am to 7pm
Christmas holidays (21/12 – 06/01) :
– from 10am to 8pm every day
– opening at 11am on 25 December 2020 and 1 January 2021

Prices:

Full price: €13,50
Senior citizen rate (over 65): €12,50
Reduced rate (students, jobseekers, disability card holders, etc.): €11
Youth rate (5-25 years old): €9
Youth card rate: €9 (for the holder and his/her companion)
Under 5 years old: free

Languages:

French, English

Accessibility:

The exhibitions will be shown continuously and are fully accessible to people with reduced mobility.

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