The original swimming pool opened in 1932 and functioned as a public bathhouse until its closure in 1985 due to safety concerns.
Architect Albert Baert designed the facility to resemble a cathedral of hygiene, incorporating light-filled spaces and religious-like spatial planning.
The central swimming pool is still filled with water, reflecting the sculptures and architecture that surround it.
Many of the museum's decorative sculptures and statues are displayed on the edge of the pool deck where bathers once walked.
The museum holds a significant collection of Roubaix-made textiles and fashion designs, reflecting the city's 'Manchester of France' industrial legacy.
The 2018 renovation added a new wing specifically to display the museum’s large-scale sculpture collection.
The museum building is officially classified as a Monument Historique in France.
The changing cabins that line the pool are original and have been repurposed as individual exhibit cases for smaller objects.
La Piscine is a museum of art and industry housed within a former Art Deco swimming pool complex, originally designed by architect Albert Baert. The museum is renowned for its central basin, which remains a water-filled focal point surrounded by gallery spaces and preserved changing cabins. The collection spans from the 19th to the 21st century, featuring fine arts, ceramics, textiles, and fashion. It emphasizes the industrial heritage of Roubaix, particularly its history as a major textile manufacturing hub. The building retains original features like stained glass windows and tiled mosaics. Exhibits are often displayed in the former individual shower and dressing booths lining the pool. The museum underwent a major expansion in 2018 to increase display space for its permanent collection. It remains an active cultural institution in northern France, frequently hosting temporary exhibitions of contemporary and historic art.
The elevated viewing gallery at the far end of the pool, which provides a full-length shot of the water and the Art Deco stained glass.
Walk the entire perimeter of the pool at both ground and balcony levels for different perspectives of the sculptures.
Visit the small garden area, which houses a collection of outdoor sculptures and provides a quiet break from the interior galleries.
Use the provided museum map to ensure you see the textile galleries, which are often located in the quieter, non-pool sections of the building.
Do not rush through the ground-floor gallery level; the most detailed textile and ceramics displays are tucked into the former changing cabins.
Closed on Mondays. Open Tuesday through Sunday.
