10 Specialty Museums in Essonne That You Shouldn't Miss

Open from April to October. The Cyclop is a concrete and metal sculpture partially covered in mirrors. It is a giant’s head planted in the ground and scrutinising the surroundings with its one eye. It can be visited as if it were a museum where you discover a complex world full of intimacy and friendship, a world that is both serious and full of humour, a maze of artworks and curiosities. It stands proud in the middle of the Forest of Milly, as tall as a seven-storey building. Jean Tinguely, his wife Niki de Saint Phalle and their friends started work on the project in 1969. Many artists worked with them in a fun, family atmosphere. They had no planning permission and they funded it themselves, working with recycled materials. The sculpture was provocative and it was regularly vandalised. In 1987, Jean Tinguely decided to donate it to the French State. The Cyclop was finished 25 years after work had begun and it was opened to the public in 1994. A cultural and artistic programme The Cyclop began to reach out to contemporary creation in 2012. Since then, it has helped artists in the conception of works in three areas relevant to the site: artistic research combining music and the visual arts, collaborative artistic creation (artists working together), and relating to nature. Artists’ residencies, contemporary art exhibitions, performances, and lectures on The Cyclop encourage a cross-fertilisation of the worlds of creativity and research. In 2015, The Cyclop was inaugurating series of meetings under the title ‘Contrée film & video’. Throughout the season, in a converted container close to the sculpture, there will be screenings of artists’ videos and documentary films. Some of these screenings will be linked with programmed events at The Cyclop.

The Museum is open from wednesday to sunday from 2pm-5pm. Dress in warm clothes, the exhibit is not heaten but it is covered. Closed from december 25th, 2019 to january 2nd, 2020.