During a stay in Seine-Maritime, travelers always have the pleasure of discovering a department with a rich heritage, from its must-see towns to its most emblematic villages. And what an incredible natural environment! Rich in green meadows, the meandering Seine and the breathtaking cliffs of the Côte d'Albâtre. A vacation in Seine-Maritime is also an opportunity to visit its museums, and in particular the Juliobona Museum in Lillebonne and MuséoSeine, located in Rives-en-Seine/Caudebec-en-Caux. In 2023, the two structures invite you to discover two exciting exhibitions: "Qui es-tu Apollon? From Juliobona to Pop Culture" and "Vikings! Storm on the Seine". Here's everything you need to know about these two highlights of the Normandy region.
Discover the exhibition "Who are you Apollo? From Juliobona to Pop Culture" exhibition
From April 15 to November 30, 2023, the Juliobona Museum in Seine-Maritime celebrates the bicentenary of the discovery of the gilded bronze Apollo from Lillebonne (1823) - now part of the Louvre Museum collections - with a highlight to mark in your diaries. "Who are you Apollo? From Juliobona to Pop Culture", is a ground-breaking exhibition exploring the many facets of the Apollo character over the centuries, as well as his representations in art. Recognized as an exhibition of national interest by the French Ministry of Culture, it invites visitors - adults and children alike - to explore and better understand the myth of one of the best-known gods of the Greco-Roman pantheon, from Antiquity to the present day.
Bringing together archaeological finds, archival documents, manuscripts, comic books, decorative objects and works of art, including contemporary art, "Who are you Apollo? " offers a concise yet comprehensive insight into the complexity of his personality. For although often associated with masculine beauty and desire, Apollo is in fact a multi-faceted figure. It was therefore important to highlight the lesser-known representations of the character, made up of vengeance, violence and aggression. These include the myths of Marysas, Niobides and Daphne.
5 sections to explore the different faces of the Apollo figure
Is Apollo always clearly identified in all his complexity? By artists, scholars or in popular culture? If the image of the handsome Apollo is the one that sticks to his skin and is the most represented in our time, was it the same in Antiquity? These are the questions the exhibition aims to answer, through 5 distinct spaces. For, as mentioned above, while he is the archetype of masculine beauty and symbolizes harmony, transmits his oracles and is endowed with the power of divination, Apollo is also a murderous and vengeful god.
The tour thus explores five faces of Apollo, linked to his family, the harmony that characterizes him, his oracular dimension, his beauty, and finally his dark and violent side. We follow the divine figure from his birth in Delos to his latest appearances in contemporary popular culture.
In all, some 70 objects spanning almost 3,000 years of history are on display in the museum, located on the first floor of the old town hall. Visitors will discover Greek vases alongside Roman bronze statues, comic books, video games and contemporary works of art.
Who is the "Who are you Apollo? From Juliobona to Pop Culture"?
The "Who are you Apollo? exhibition offers a wide range of entry points into the myth, and is therefore aimed at a broad public. Children will certainly be captivated by the video games, comic strips, Playmobils® and other Webtoons present throughout the exhibition, helping them to better understand the personality of the Greek god. Art lovers will not be left out, with the chance to admire works from prestigious museums such as the Louvre.
Exhibition highlights
During the exhibition, the Juliobona Museum offers a variety of special events. Don't miss a lecture on the discovery of the Lillebonne Apollo on July 23, and a talk on the history of Apollo art from Antiquity to the present day on September 30.
As part of "Une œuvre, un café, un invité", the public can learn more about the "Apollo Underwear" and the image of Apollo in advertising, or about the ivory statuette of Apollo and Daphne, and the representation of Apollo's love affairs in modern times. The full cultural program can be found on the museum's website.
The exhibition "Vikings! Tempête sur la Seine" exhibition at MuséoSeine, the museum of the Norman Seine
From 1st june to November 30, 2023, MuséoSeine, the museum of the Norman Seineoffers a free family exhibition built around a traditional Scandinavian wooden fishing boat, the faering. Parents and children can learn more about the Viking invasions, with a local resonance, as they discover what the Seine was like before the invasions, the boats used and the reasons why men from the north set sail for the territory that corresponds to present-day Normandy. Not to mention the ways in which the Franks dealt with offensives, based on their construction methods.
The 50m2 exhibition "Vikings! Tempête sur la Seine" (Storm on the Seine) feature some forty works, including medieval objects, a ship reconstruction, a video extract from the Vikings series, a Playmobil® scene andextracts from the comic strip Vikings, roi des mers (Vikings, King of the Seas ) published by OREP. MuséoSeine breaks some clichés about the Viking heritage, from myth to reality.
The exhibition resonates with two other major exhibitions presented by the Réunion des musées métropolitains Rouen Normandie and the Musée de Normandie in Caen. These are, respectively, "Normands, migrants, conquerors, innovators" and "Des Vikings et des Normands - Imaginaires et représentations".
To bring the exhibition even closer to life, MuséoSeine is inviting families to take part in a variety of events: guided tours, life-size team games, lectures, theatrical performances and other workshops for young people during the school vacations.
