DIDAM
Free contemporary art space run by the City of Bayonne, housed in an Art Deco building and focused mainly on photography.
No sound? Check your device’s silent switch.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
At the end of 2014, after the closure of Le Carré, a contemporary art space linked to the former Musée Bonnat, the City and the Agglomeration of Bayonne decided to open a new venue for contemporary exhibitions on the right bank of the Adour. DIDAM presents about five exhibitions a year, with regional artists and major names in photography such as Liu Bolin, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Lucien Clergue and Raymond Depardon.
The venue occupies the former premises of the Direction interdépartementale des affaires maritimes (interdepartmental maritime affairs office), hence its name. The Inscription maritime building was commissioned by the City of Bayonne from the architects Louis and Benjamin Gomez; the city had acquired the plot in the mid-1920s to build the Inscription maritime, the Bourse du travail and the Maison du marin. It is an example of Art Deco style, with a plain, symmetrical façade, a colonnaded porch and decoration evoking seafaring and port life: the arms of Bayonne, oars, ropes, sea monsters and an anchor on the wrought-iron door.
Admission is free, and the venue welcomes groups, school classes and associations. DIDAM works with local cultural institutions, such as the museums and the médiathèque of Bayonne, the L'Atalante cinema, the departmental archives and the FRAC-MÉCA in Bordeaux. The city reports almost 50,000 visitors a year.
Highlights
- Art Deco building of the former Inscription maritime
- Programme focused on contemporary photography
- Free admission, including public holidays (except three dates)
- Guided tours and children's workshops around each exhibition
- Operated by
- Ville de Bayonne
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
Each exhibition is accompanied by tours, workshops, performances and meetings for adults and children. The programme includes creative workshops for ages 7 and over, and workshops for ages 0 to 3.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Quai de Lesseps
Chronoplus bus: stops Gare de Bayonne or Quai de Lesseps.
By car
Parking available
Along Quai de Lesseps, parking is paid, but free on Saturdays from 14:00 and all day on Sundays. The covered station car park is open 24/24 hours; the first hour is free, then charges are made per quarter hour.
Bicycle racks are located in front of the exhibition space; bring your own lock.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | For group, school or association visits, write to mediation.didam@bayonne.fr or call 05 59 46 63 43. Guided tours are offered during each exhibition. Leaflets for the mediation programme are available at DIDAM, at the Town Hall, at the one-stop service desk on rue Bernède and at the tourist office. |
