Lieu d'Art et Action Contemporaine (LAAC)

About the museum

The LAAC originated from a donation to the City of Dunkirk: an exceptional ensemble of works by 20th-century artists, assembled in the 1970s and 1980s on the initiative of Gilbert Delaine, founder of the association L’Art contemporain, with the support of some sixty corporate sponsors.

Today the collection holds more than 2,000 works. It offers a rare overview in France of art from 1945 to 1980, with artists such as Yves Klein, Marie Raymond, Olivier Debré and Anthony Caro. Each year the museum presents two major temporary exhibitions and four graphic arts exhibitions, as well as a selection of more than two hundred works from the collection, “Les Incontournables.”

The LAAC is surrounded by a sculpture garden. It also includes a large graphic arts cabinet, where visitors open drawers and sliding cabinets to discover drawings and prints, as well as a documentation space, a workshop for young audiences and an auditorium.

The museum works with the FRAC Grand Large – Hauts-de-France, with which it created the Gigantisme – Art & Industrie triennial in 2019. In 2018 it received the national “Osez le musée” prize for its mediation with all audiences.

Highlights

• Overview of art from 1945 to 1980: over 2,000 works, including Yves Klein, Olivier Debré and Anthony Caro
• Sculpture garden around the museum
• Graphic arts cabinet with drawers and sliding cabinets to explore
• Free admission every Sunday, with mediators in the galleries
• Tourisme & Handicap label for all four types of disability

Permanent exhibitions

• Les Incontournables – A selection of more than two hundred works from the collection, giving an overview of postwar art up to 1980.
• Jardin de sculptures – Sculptures installed in the garden surrounding the museum, largely wheelchair-accessible.
• Cabinet d'arts graphiques – About two hundred drawings and prints to discover by opening the drawers and sliding cabinets yourself.

Founded

1982

Operated by

Ville de Dunkerque

Visitors per year

approx. 44,953

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Every Sunday, for everyone.

Rates applicable as of January 15, 2024, according to the website. Hauts-de-France regional TER Culture offers upon presentation of a train ticket.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description

Access ramp, elevator, accessible reception, adapted toilets, wheelchairs, walkers and chairs available; the sculpture garden is largely accessible. Portable and fixed induction loops, videos in sign language, LSF tours with an interpreter according to a schedule, documents in Braille, touchable reproductions, audio-described texts, materials in easy-to-read French (FALC) and a sensory kit. In 2026 the museum received the Tourisme & Handicap label for all four types of disability.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Kids’ birthday parties

Observation booklets and play trails for ages 6 to 12, holiday workshops and playful learning areas. The museum has signed the Môm’Art charter and belongs to the Carré BB network (changing table and space for feeding babies). Birthdays: a 1-hour-30-minute visit and workshop on Wednesdays or Saturdays from age 5, €70 for up to 15 children.

Getting there & parking

The garden has two entrances, Avenue des Bains and Avenue des Bordées; the museum is at the heart of the garden. By car: A16 motorway, exit 62 Dunkerque Centre; about 1 hour from Lille and 45 minutes from Calais.

Amenities & dining

• Coat check

Cloakroom for bags; lounge with vending machines and space to eat.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit