The French Ministry of Culture created the “Landmark House” label in 2011. The ninth label campaign took place in November 2019.
The label is awarded to houses that preserve and pass on the memory of the men and women who lived in them and distinguished themselves in France’s political, social and cultural history, in keeping with the values of the French Republic. They bridge the gap between local and national history, between the intimate and the grand narrative, between inherited legacies and artistic creation.
These houses open their doors to visitors at least forty days a year, presenting a cultural program adapted to all publics, and some are accessible to people with disabilities. In this way, the label contributes to artistic and cultural education and cultural democratization through local heritage at the heart of local communities. It is also part of the networks managed by the French Ministry of Culture: Musées de France, Villes et Pays d’art et d’histoire, Jardins remarquables, Patrimoine européen, Architecture contemporaine remarquable.
The aim of the label is to promote the candidacies of illustrious women and people from diverse backgrounds as part of the dual ministerial Equality and Diversity label. It is pursuing a policy of diversification, opening up more to contemporary heritage, particularly architectural. It aims to adapt to a more up-to-date definition of the illustrious figure.
The Landmark Houses network is expanding and consolidating its territorial roots, thanks to this new label campaign.
11 new homes have been certified in 2019:
- The House of Marie Noël, Auxerre (89, Yonne), Burgundy-Franche-Comté ;
- The Musée des émaux et de la mosaïque, former home of Jean-Félix Bapterosses, Briare (45, Loiret), Centre-Val de Loire ;
- La Maison Verlaine, in Metz (57, Moselle), Grand Est ;
- Le Château d’Edouard Salin, Laneuville-devant-Nancy (54, Meurthe et Moselle), Grand Est ;
- Musée Yves-Saint-Laurent, Paris (75, Paris), Île-de-France ;
- Musée Jean-Jacques Henner – Guillaume Dubufe, in Paris, (75, Paris), Île-de-France ;
- Atelier Chana Orloff, in Paris (75, Paris), Île-de-France ;
- Maison Jeanne d’Albret, Orthez (64, Pyrénées-Atlantiques), Nouvelle Aquitaine ;
- Villa Antonine, Béziers (34, Hérault), Occitanie ;
- Hotel Fayet, in Béziers (34, Hérault), Occitanie ;
- Villa “Les Lauriers Roses” – Jean Aicard-Paulin Bertrand museum, La Garde (83, Var), Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.
As a result, the network is expanding, and now boasts a total of 245 approved sites, all of which can be found on the interactive map, and 4 of which are located outside France’s administrative borders.
In 2018, an estimated 3.3 million visitors came to 162 sites open to the public.
“By crossing the threshold of a Landmark House, transformed today into a museum, cultural center, resource center, or meeting space, each and every one of us is invited to experience a truly embodied heritage.” Franck Riester, French Minister of Culture
