Roubaix: The transformation of a textile town

The City of Art and History department of the City of Roubaix invites you to discover or rediscover the city’s transformation through its textile history!

This exhibition, organised by the ‘City of Art and History’ initiative, has been developed in partnership with La Manufacture, the La Piscine Museum, the Media Library, the Archives, the Tourist Office, the Culture Department and the Hauts-de-France Regional Directorate for Cultural Affairs (DRAC).

As part of the ‘City of Art and History’ agreement signed with the State in 2001, the City of Roubaix is committed to establishing a permanent space dedicated to interpreting the city’s heritage. A permanent exhibition on the city’s textile history is therefore proposed as the first stage of this project, aimed at fostering an understanding of the local area, its history and its development amongst residents, tourists and families.

This exhibition is designed to enable visitors to discover the history and development of the city in an educational and interactive way, aimed at a family audience. The exhibition will also serve as an introduction to a visit to the La Manufacture museum, prior to its guided tours. The aim of this exhibition is to highlight the unique context in which Roubaix’s human and urban development took place around its textile industry, from its origins to the present day, and to showcase the city’s heritage collections (through reproductions) so that the general public can become familiar with them.

It is complemented by a range of activities: themed guided tours suitable for all ages, linked to the topics featured in the exhibition: Roubaix’s monuments, neighbourhoods, notable figures and historical periods. Workshops are also on offer within the museum, aimed at families. Two educational leaflets are available: a ‘Focus’ summarising the exhibition’s content and an ‘Explorers’ discovery trail for younger visitors.