On December 4th 2012, the feast day of Saint Barbe, patron saint of miners, as if in honour of the men and women who spent their working lives at pithead n°9, Louvre-Lens opened to the public. Proof of the Louvre's policy of cultural outreach and its ambition to promote access to its collections, and an emblem
of the Nord-Pas de Calais region's determination to put culture at the heart of its development, Louvre- Lens was a highly anticipated project.

The museum's first year has been an unmitigated success. Firstly in terms of attendance. The most optimistic observers forecast 700,000 visitors for this first year; the actual figure of close to 900,000 far exceeds expectations. Secondly in economic terms, as Louvre-Lens is already stimulating and accelerating economic growth within the region. To date, an estimated 400 jobs have been created as a direct or indirect result of the museum's opening, particularly in tourism.

Thirdly in the media as, thanks to this "other" Louvre, Lens has positioned itself on the international map. Indeed, the town takes 26th position in The New York Times' coveted list of "46 Places to Go in 2013".
Over the next three years, the tourism sector is expected to generate a further 300 jobs as new hotels and businesses open, in addition to the First World War commemorative ceremonies taking place over 2014-2018.

On December 4th 2013, Louvre-Lens celebrated its first anniversary with a special gift: the awarding of the Équerre d'Argent, a major French architectural distinction, to the museum's architects, SANAA (Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa), and project owner, the Nord-Pas de Calais region. It singles out
the beauty of the architectural form, a translucent, almost insubstantial structure which sits, jewellike, in landscaped gardens.
Visitors, entrepreneurs, politicians, local organisations and students blew out this first candle, enthused by the project and convinced that a dynamic and lasting force was in motion.

Now more than ever, Lens is the place to be!