Les Champs Libres Complex, Rennes (must see)

Founded in 2006 to unite three flagship institutions- Library of Rennes Métropole, the The Brittany Museum, and the Rennes Science Centre-The Champs Libres centre offers a single space where heritage, literature and science mingle in a bold architectural shell. Conveniently positioned, the complex redeveloped a once underused section of the former Champs-de-Mars into one of Western France’s most active cultural venues.

The building itself is a signature work by Pritzker-winning architect Christian de Portzamparc, characterized by polished steel dunes and geometric shapes whose textures echo Brittany’s rocky coastline. From the air-conditioned pyramid of the library and the zinc-domed planetarium, to the fissured pink-stone panels and color-coded volume zones inside, the design consciously balances monumental scale with a sense of openness and identity rooted in Breton visual culture.

The library spans seven colour-coded levels covering children’s literature, teen activities, music, science, practical life, literature, social sciences, and regional heritage, with self-service facilities on most floors. The Brittany Museum presents Breton history from prehistory to the present through more than 2,300 objects and 600,000 archival items, while the Rennes Science Centre offers interactive exhibits, a 95-seat planetarium with multiple daily shows, alongside a year-round programme of talks, workshops, and events.