Why Museum L?

Musée L stands for the University Museum of Louvain. The name affirms the living university heritage and a shared history with KULeuven. L for Louvain emphasises the ‘Louvain/Leuven brand’ that has been UCLouvain’s emblem since 1425. With its right-angled form, the L also expresses solidity and rootedness ; at the same time, it implies an openness that breaks down barriers – the openness of the dialogue that is set up between the works on display. Solidity and openness, then : two necessary and complementary dimensions both of which are promoted by art.

An interactive logo

The chosen logo plays on optical effects; the eye of the observer is actively engaged. Like the visitors who, while looking at the collections, are led by the items on display to ask searching questions – and possibly to change their viewpoint. The exhibits thus inspire curiosity, questioning and creativity.

« Invention. Dialogue. Quite an art »
A moto

INVENTION : The museum’s slogan reflects its desire to make full use of the artistic and scientific collections. Because artists, like scientists, go beyond what they already know to develop something new. Between creation and invention, the collections make a fresh contribution to humanity’s constant quest for new solutions.

DIALOGUE : To achieve this, the museum risks new and untried encounters: rather than locking objects away in familiar categories (chronological, stylistic, etc.), the spatial layout is based on comparing and contrasting. The surprises – and dialogues – that this approach generates create a cultural experience that allows us to perceive the world in a fresh light.