Curtius Museum

Liège, Belgium

The Curtius Museum (Musée Curtius) is a museum of archaeology and decorative arts, located on the bank of the Meuse River in Liège. It was built sometime between 1597 and 1610 as a private mansion for Jean Curtius, industrialist and munitions supplier to the Spanish army. With its alternating layers of red brick and natural stone, and its cross-mullioned windows, the building typifies the regional style known as the Mosan (or Meuse) Renaissance.

After a 50 million euro redevelopment, the museum reopened as the Grand Curtius in 2009, now housing the merged collections of four former museums: the museum of archeology, the museum of weaponry, the museum of decorative arts, and the museum of religious art and Mosan art. Highlights in the collections include treasures of Mosan art such as a twelfth-century gilded reliquary tryptich, formerly in the church of Sainte-Croix, the Evangelarium of Notger, sculptures by Jean Del Cour, and a portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte painted by Ingres in 1804: Bonaparte, First Consul.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 1597-1610
Category: Museums in Belgium

Rating

4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Gordon Woods (2 years ago)
Lots of local history about Liège from prehistory onwards, including a detailed section about guns (a local industry). Very friendly and helpful staff, and a welcoming café.
nick niclls (2 years ago)
Perhaps this may be a signal to the museum. If someone from it reads )) my average mark for the Weapons part is simply because it lacks explanations. Yes, they are very detailed texts in French, somewhat also detailed in English - but you will not understand 90% if you are not familiar with the special vocabulary of the Arms industry, unless you are a NATIVE speaker with engineering background). Nowadays, when Tablets under Android are so cheap, why not put something interactive on them - a video is better than a thousand words. Especially when you have a University in town, students should be happy to create something at low cost.
Vincent Vandalon (3 years ago)
Excellent collection of fire arms (lives up to its name). However the entire collection is well worth the visit. The staff is also very helpful and friendly.
Saulius Čepelė (3 years ago)
Huge expo of guns and unique glass pieces.
Matthias Tytgat (3 years ago)
Very big and extensive. A lot of different aspects to see from arms to history. Also has good temporary exhibitions.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Rosenborg Castle

Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.

The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.

Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.