In the small mining town of Lens, France, lights from a construction site across the street can be seen from Chez Cathy bar, owned by a man named Matthieu Debas. The lights, he says, come from the construction sight for a new branch of the Louvre, the famous French Museum, which houses pieces such as the Mona Lisa. This new museum has attracted a lot of attention to this small town, which most people are not used to. "Two days ago, we had Japanese TV. Yesterday, there was a German Culture radio," he says about the new people who are visiting the town. Many people including the mayor of the town, Guy Delacourt, can say that their ancestors who lived in the town have always been coal miners. However, the museum is expected to create 250 to 500 new jobs in Lens, not a small number by any comparison. The schools in and surrounding Lens have already planned trips and even entire courses having to do with the new museum, and expect many foreign students. They are also expecting a steady stream of tourism to the town, but at the moment do not have enough beds to house everyone they expect to come. But, a 4-star hotel is planned on being built by the owner of the Westminster Hotel in La Toquet, who says "I'm doing this because I believe in it."
This article shows that the town of Lens will be impacted both socially and economically by this new branch of the Louvre. Socially, the people of Lens will have a new museum to add to the culture of the town, as well as much more tourism and possibly new schools. Economically, there will be more business at existing businesses, as well as probably new businesses popping up. This will mean the town will go from underdeveloped to developed very quickly.
Source: http://worldcrunch.com/culture-society/rust-belt-louvre-famed-museum-opens-branch-in-forsaken-mining-town/art-northern-france-museum-collection/c3s10368/#.UM_Ba2_O39w
That's so cool how one museum will change a town so much.
ReplyDelete