Musée Hergé

The idea of a museum dedicated to the work of Hergé can be traced back to the end of the 1970s, when Hergé himself was still alive. After his death in 1983, Hergé's widow, Fanny, led the efforts, undertaken at first by the Hergé Foundation and then by the new Studios Hergé, to catalogue and choose the artwork and elements that would eventually become part of the Hergé Museum's exhibitions.

The Hergé Museum: concept and construction

The location for the Hergé Museum in Louvain-la-Neuve was originally chosen in 2001. The futuristic building was designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning French architect Christian de Portzamparc,[1] with interiors designed by the cartoonist Joost Swarte.[2] On 22 May 2007 (the centenary of Hergé's birth), the first stone of the museum was laid.[3] Two years later, in June 2009, the museum opened its doors to the public.[4]

During the museum's inauguration, journalists were informed of the museum's policy that no photos are allowed to be taken inside the museum to prevent "copyright abuse due to the work exposed". Disgruntled, some journalists left the museum.[5][6] Journalists were allowed to photograph some parts of the museum when King Albert II toured the museum the following month.[7] 100,000 visitors arrived during the museum's first year.[8]

In October 2013, it was announced that the museum was operating at a loss.[5] Although the museum is entirely private and belongs to the Hergé Foundation which holds rights over Hergé's work,[9] the owner, Nick Rodwell, requested financial assistance from the Belgian Government.[5]

Today, the museum is mainly visited by tourists.[5] The museum has been accused of catering to die-hard fans at the expense of other groups.[9]

^ Cite error: The named reference Staff3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page). ^ Cite error: The named reference Staff4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page). ^ "Le musée Hergé sort de terre" [The Hergé Museum is Out of the Ground]. Le Soir. Brussels. 21 May 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2015. ^ Cite error: The named reference Staff2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page). ^ a b c d "Tintin And The Copyright Sharks - Falkvinge on Infopolicy". Falkvinge.net. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2014. ^ Couvreur, Daniel (26 May 2009). "Hergé a son musée et sa polémique" [Hergé Museum and its Controversy]. Le Soir. Brussels. Retrieved 15 January 2015. ^ De Vogelaere, Jean-Philippe (1 July 2009). "Le Musée Hergé se laisse enfin photographier" [Hergé Museum Finally Allowed to be Photographed]. Le Soir. Brussels. Retrieved 15 January 2015. ^ "Musée Hergé: 100.000 visiteurs pour la première année" [Hergé Museum: 100,000 Visitors in the First Year]. Le Soir. Brussels. 26 May 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2015. ^ a b De Vogelaere, Jean-Philippe (26 May 2009). "Le journaliste Tintin aurait apprécié" [The reporter Tintin would have appreciated]. Le Soir. Brussels. Retrieved 15 January 2015.