Curtius Museum

The Curtius Museum, now incorporated within the Grand Curtius museum complex, is a museum of archaeology and decorative arts located on the bank of the river Meuse in Liège, Belgium. It is classified as a Major Heritage of Wallonia. The museum occupies a historic private mansion built between 1597 and 1610 for Jean Curtius, a wealthy industrialist and munitions supplier to the Spanish army. After a €50 million redevelopment, the museum reopened as the Grand Curtius in March 2009, integrating the former Curtius Museum's collections into a larger ensemble that now constitutes the largest and most important museum in the Wallonia region, with more than 5,000 square metres of exhibition space and over 5,000 objects on display.

The origins of the museum's collections trace back to 1850, when the Institut archéologique liégeois was founded with the goal of establishing a museum. The collections were initially displayed in various locations before moving to a wing of the Prince-Bishops' Palace in 1874. The city of Liège acquired the Curtius Palace in 1901, and after extensive restoration by architect Joseph Lousberg, the Curtius Museum, originally called the Musée archéologique liégeois, opened on 1 August 1909. The glass collection, begun by the Baar family and deposited in 1946 by the widow of Armand Baar, was purchased by the city in 1952 and became an independent section from 1959. The Museum of Weaponry had its origins in a donation from firearms manufacturer Pierre-Joseph Lemille and opened in 1885 in the Hôtel Hayme de Bomal. The Museum of Religious Art and Mosan Art was founded in 1891 by the Société d'art et d'histoire du diocèse de Liège and was taken over by the city in 1976. The idea of merging these institutions was discussed for many years, but the project became concrete in 1995 under the name EMAHL, later renamed Grand Curtius. After numerous architectural controversies and legal challenges until 2005, the redevelopment proceeded smoothly until the public opening in March 2009.

The Grand Curtius houses approximately 100,000 objects spanning 7,000 years of human history, though only about five percent of the collection is on permanent display. The holdings encompass archaeological finds from prehistoric times through Roman and Merovingian periods, including Egyptian antiquities from the former university collection. The museum is particularly strong in Mosan art, medieval religious art, and decorative arts including furniture, silver, glass, and clocks. The arms collection is one of the most important in the world, reflecting Liège's historical significance as a major centre of firearms manufacturing. The glass collection, enriched with 19th and 20th-century pieces and Val Saint-Lambert crystal, traces its origins to the Baar family collectors. In 2007, the museum received a significant donation of French clocks, glassware, and Sèvres porcelain from Baron and Baroness Duesberg. The collections are organised thematically and chronologically, presenting a comprehensive picture of human civilisation from Neanderthal remains to 18th-century fans.

Among the most celebrated works in the collection are treasures of Mosan art, including a 12th-century gilded reliquary triptych formerly in the church of Sainte-Croix, and the Evangelarium of Notger. The museum holds sculptures by Jean Del Cour, the 17th-century Liège Baroque master. A particularly significant painting is the portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul, painted by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres in 1804. The museum also preserves Napoleonic memorabilia connected to his stays in Liège, including portraits of the emperor and his wife, a sculpted bust, and various souvenirs. The Liège Chronicle of 1565 is another notable historical document in the collection. From the archaeological holdings, a Neanderthal skull, a Roman bust vase, and Egyptian finds from the former university collection are of particular interest. The arms collection traces the evolution of firearms from early matchlocks to modern weaponry, and was expanded in 2023 to include knives and military equipment.

The museum complex comprises four historic buildings forming a large block between the Meuse and the collegiate church of Saint-Bartholomew, at the edge of Liège's historic centre. The Palais Curtius, the main building, was constructed between 1597 and 1610 for Jean de Corte, known as Curtius, a wealthy arms and gunpowder dealer who supplied the Spanish army during the Eighty Years' War. Built with alternating layers of red brick and Namur stone, with cross-mullioned windows and mascarons, it is considered the archetype of Mosan Renaissance architecture and is listed as part of Wallonia's exceptional heritage. After Curtius's death, the main building housed a monastery while the residence remained family property until 1734. The Hôtel de Hayme de Bomal, built around 1775 to designs by Barthélemy Digneffe in Louis XVI style, became the seat of the prefecture of the Ourthe department in 1793 and was richly decorated in Empire style around 1800; Napoleon Bonaparte stayed there several times. The complex also includes the 17th-century Hôtel Brahy and Maison Dewilde. Between 2001 and 2009, the four buildings were extensively restored and connected by new glass construction. A large new volume along Féronstrée was designed by architect Daniel Dethier in neoclassical style. The complex includes decorated courtyards, one of which was designed by artist Lawrence Weiner, as well as a café-restaurant and museum shop.

The Grand Curtius is located on the Féronstrée et Hors-Château in the historic heart of Liège, on the banks of the Meuse River. It is owned by the city of Liège and serves as one of the major museum hubs in the city and the premier destination for art and history in the region. The museum opened to the public in March 2009 after several years of construction work. Visitors access all sections with a single ticket. The museum hosts temporary exhibitions alongside its permanent collections, with upcoming exhibitions including 'Japonism and Art Nouveau' from 17 April to 27 September 2026, celebrating the bicentenary of Cristalleries du Val Saint-Lambert, and the Espace César Franck exhibition, installed from 12 January 2022 through 31 December 2026, commemorating the bicentenary of the Liège composer who revolutionised 19th-century French music. The glass collection was closed for preventive conservation measures as of October 2021. The museum's website is https://www.grandcurtius.be.