An immersion in Flemish culture at the Musée de Flandre, with Sycomore

The Musée de Flandre, located in Cassel, reveals the diversity of Flemish culture through an impressive collection of around 6,000 works. Thanks to Sycomore, visitors enjoy enriching audio guide content on the permanent collections and temporary exhibitions.

A museum in a place steeped in history

The Musée de Flandre is located in the heart of French Flanders, in the charming town of Cassel, and benefits from its elevated position on Mount Cassel, 176 metres high. It occupies the Hôtel de la Noble Cour, a 13th- and 16th-century building listed as a historic monument.

The Hôtel de la Noble Cour housed the "châtellenie", a judicial and financial body linked to the administration of a lord's territory, which managed his accounts and dispensed justice. Probably founded in the 11th century and purchased in 1218 by Countess Joan of Flanders, the Châtellenie of Cassel was part of the County of Flanders, which entered the Kingdom of France in the 17th century under Louis XIV.

Remarkable collections

The museum houses a vast collection of 6,000 pieces, from the 15th century to the present day: paintings, sculptures, textiles and craft objects covering the many facets of Flemish art and culture. Highlights include works by great Flemish masters such as Guillaume Kerricx, Roelandt Savery, David Teniers, Joachim Patinir, Simon de Vos, Pieter Coecke van Aelst and Jan Fyt, as well as objects illustrating the daily life and traditions of Flanders through the centuries.

The museum also presents temporary exhibitions that highlight specific aspects of Flemish culture, such as the major exhibition "Fêtes et Kermesses au temps des Brueghel" (Feasts and Kermesses in the Time of the Brueghels).

Audio guide content created by Sycomore

Sycomore played a key role in modernising the visitor experience by producing the audio guide content for the permanent collections and several temporary exhibitions. Sycomore adapted for the spoken word all the scholarly texts provided by the museum: while respecting their rigour, each commentary was brought to life, for a pleasant reading suited to the general public — from Savery's "Landscape with a Castle Enlivened with Figures" to Coecke van Aelst's "The Holy Trinity".

The audio commentaries were performed by four talented actors, bringing a lively and engaging dimension to the visit. The audio-guided trail follows a route based on the works, but one that tells a story: that of Flanders and the evolution of its society. Each visitor explores at their own pace, stopping to listen to detailed commentaries on the pieces that interest them.

Accessibility and linguistic diversity

To meet the needs of a diverse audience, the content was produced in French, English and Dutch. An audio description version was created for visually impaired visitors, ensuring the museum's accessibility to all. This linguistic diversity and attention to accessibility illustrate Sycomore's commitment to offering an inclusive visitor experience, for an unforgettable cultural immersion.