The merging of France’s leading national design collections under one roof is the mission behind the new Galerie Nationale du Design, set to open in Saint-Etienne on June 10, 2026.
The project is a joint initiative between the EPCC Cité du design – Esad Saint-Etienne and the Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain de Saint-Etienne Métropole (MAMC+).
Design has long been part of Saint-Étienne’s identity, dating back to the Industrial Revolution. The Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain de Saint-Étienne Métropole (MAMC+) has preserved this local industrial heritage by building a design collection since 1987. A pioneer in the field, the museum today holds France’s largest collection of manufactured design objects.
It is being developed in partnership with major cultural institutions including the Centre National des Arts Plastiques, Musée National d’Art Moderne – Centre Pompidou, Musée des Arts Décoratifs et du Design de Bordeaux, Frac Grand Large-Hauts-de-France and Saint- Etienne Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMC+).
Additional national collections will also contribute to future exhibitions. Among the partners supporting the inaugural exhibition are the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Mobilier National and the Musée de la Ville de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.
Scientific oversight of the gallery has been entrusted to MAMC+, while guest curators will oversee a rotating program of annual exhibitions exploring the many dimensions of design through works drawn from partner collections.
The Galerie Nationale du Design will feature 1,000 square meters of exhibition, educational and experimental spaces.
Creative District vision
The gallery project forms part of Saint-Etienne Metropolis’ wider transformation of the Cité du design into the centerpiece of a larger Creative District focused on culture, innovation and urban life.
The district already hosts internationally recognized venues including theaters and concert halls.
It is also emerging as a major education and research hub through Ésad Saint-Etienne and the Jean Monnet University Manufacture Campus, bringing together around 2,500 students and 300 researchers alongside businesses specializing in technology and the creative industries.
The Gallery will also be an important factor to position Saint-Etienne as an emerging international cultural destination in the Rhône-Alpes-Auvergne region. The city is located south-west of Lyon and is roughly an hour away by car from Lyon International Airport and Lyon city center.
