Ludivine ILTIS, auteur sur Wesserling Park

What if the story of the Boiler House became a fairytale? Our visitors are invited to discover historical anecdotes and technical facts about this former thermal power station.

Follow in the footsteps of the hermit and his chimera

A collective of artists has come together to create poetic and playful productions. Through this exhibition, the visitor will learn the history and functioning of this Boiler House.

“Follow in the footsteps of the hermit and his chimera” tells the story of a hermit who lives in the Boiler House – a remote and historical place. The intertwining of the pipes and structural elements of the Boiler House gives the idea of a living machine that functions on the same logic as the organs of the human body. The public is thus immersed into the bowels of the Boiler House.

The visitor is invited to look into this huge building through the eyes of the hermit – his chimera. The tour leads him to the memories of this reclusive man and his mysterious and fantastic visions.

The following people participated in the creation of this exhibition: Léa Ougier, Maïté Bur, Martin Hubert, Nicolas Cadiou, Florence Chautard, Marie-Edith Robinne, Michele Vicenzi.

The main challenge for the two scenographers was to explore the materials kept in the storages of the Wesserling gardens. The richness of the forms proposed in the exhibition thanks to the material chosen by the artists and the in situ creation – in the place, around the place, for the place. The project is part of a more global trend called “upcycling art”.

The Boiler House Room is open every day at 3pm.

Intervention invading network is a series of network installations made of tights and originally based on a recycling idea (old tights with ladders), reflecting the development of the globalization and world wide web, which is connecting the entire globe.

Intervention Invading Network by Irene Anton

The beginning of this very quick development is based on the invention of electric telegraphy. Tights are very representative for the fast consume of cloths, because they mostly only stay well for a night before they are going to break (in the 1960s/70s tights were still brought to a shop for repairing the ladders!). The textile network of tights finally is comparable to a vulnerable organism that could collapse. It is alienating the surrounding and looks like an extra-terrestrial sculpture complex.

The installations are showing networks, which are made of approximately between hundred and max. hundred fifty almost recycled and tied pairs of tights, partly filled with balls that will define the (ganglion)knots of the network. Even though from time to time the artist has to buy new tights for the following networks with new colour concepts, the tights are always re-used again in until they are completely broken. Every network is a new site-specific adaption to the space where it is shown. The networks are every time occupying and conquering spaces in a new way and constellation, sometimes divided into various parts.

The Textile Museum will host two new exhibitions, including “Through the fairy tales”, the flagship exhibition of 2023. This exhibition will allow you to travel through time and to rediscover all the costumes inspired by fairy tales and magical worlds that were created by our costume designers.

“Through the fairy tales” exhibition is a unique opportunity to rediscover some of the Park’s highlights. We want to honour the work of our costume designers, our technical teams and the many volunteers who contributed to “Christmas in the Gardens” – the Park’s flagship annual event.

From Hansel and Gretel, through Cinderella and Pinocchio to the latest edition with the theme of Beauty and the Beast, it is an invitation to go behind the scenes. Come and take a closer look at the costumes and accessories that have brightened up your winter evenings in the Wesserling Park!

The magical characters of the fairy tales and fantastic stories of our childhood occupy an important place in the world of the Festival Gardens every year. In 2023, following the theme “The Gardens of Enchanted Huts”, we have decided to dedicate them a very special place. Join us from 3 June to 8 October to discover their unusual homes and enter their magical worlds…

Do you remember your childhood huts? Whether made of sturdy boards at the top of a tree, of leaves and old branches at the bottom of a garden or of fluffy cushions and colourful scarves in the living room, we have all enjoyed being hidden in them at some point. The hut was our secret garden. We could escape from the adult world for a while, hide our treasures, plan mischief with our friends… In every tale and fantasy story, the characters have their own house that reflects their own world. In order to soak up the marvellous atmosphere of these fabulous characters, we invite you to enter their secret dwellings.

Unusual huts

Each garden plot will set up its own story or theme:

Discover the magic of textile dyers and their secret knowledge of how they extract the dye from plants that forms the basis of their work.
In the fantastic garden of Ara – a mysterious creature with supernatural powers – people, animals and plants are connected.
Do you know the story of the three little pigs? Forget everything you already know about it and dive into these new adventures. The sturdiest house is not what you think it is.
Another magical but real world that arises people’s curiosity is that of the bees. Come and step a foot into their giant hive!
Snuggle up in the marsupilamis’ nest that is decorated with tropical and colourful flowers and relax in the high-level hammocks.
The world of fairy tales is also the world of books, illustrations and texts that make them accessible and alive. In a stranded ship, you can immerse yourself in reading the fairy tales that made you dream as a child.

Stunning photographs

Strolling among the garden plots, you can admire a photo exhibition created by two professional photographers and eight amateurs. The images are arranged by theme to create a unique atmosphere in each of the park’s gardens and terraces. Loose yourself between mysterious mists, poisonous fly-agarics, dizzying landscapes and far-off lands.

As the fall spreads with its morning frost, the vegetable garden flourishes and offers us many vegetables.

Among them, would you feel ready to eat these thistles? Strange idea would you say!

In full splendour, two very close plants await you to help you discover their softness behind their spines.

The first one is a large, chubby inflorescence with pretty purple petals. What we love in it is its “heart” hidden behind leathery leaves and thin, short hair. To reach the delight, you must remove its leaves and then patiently clean it. But in the garden, do not wait for it to bloom, it will no longer be edible!

The second one is more confidential. It reveals wonderful long petioles, (central vein of the leaf) pearly white and fleshy. Once peeled, cooked and prepared, it makes a delicious gratin!
These two plants stem originally from the same wild thistle. Humans patiently selected them. The artichoke – because yes! that’s it! – for its inflorescence and the cardoon, its big brother, for the large petioles or stalks of its leaves. Both bear the Latin name of Cynara. For connoisseurs, Cynar is an Italian bitter served as an aperitif and composed of plant extracts including that of artichoke leaves! A good start to a good thistles made meal !

This year, Wesserling Park transforms into an ancient land: Egypt. Through Théophile Gautier’s novel, Le Roman de la momie, you will travel to the heart of the land of pyramids, obelisks and the desert. Ancient Egypt becomes within your reach; If you come to Wesserling, it is as if you were there!

Written in 1857, the Roman de la momie recounts the discovery of a pharaoh’s tomb by a European aristocrat and a doctor of Egyptology. But instead of containing a new Tutankhamun- mummy, it contains a 3,500-year-old queen. Her name is Tahoser and the novel tells about her life on the banks of the Nile, in ancient Egypt.

The park was completely transformed to become the land of the pharaohs! From the industrial heritage to the gardens, you can explore the different sites and landscapes of the Wesserling Park.

A photographic exhibition in the gardens : Egypt’s Eye.

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The Grande Chaufferie
(former thermal power plant) houses a labyrinth that hides a pharaonic tomb

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The 19th edition of the Festival des Jardins Métissés
(Mixed garden show) : The Egyptian Queen’ gardens

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The Egyptian Queen‘s gardens

Travel to Egypt whilst visiting the Park of Wesserling : Egyptian temple, pyramids, oasis, giant cobra for a total immersion!

This year, the Grande Chaufferie (former thermal power plant) houses a royal Egyptian tomb. As a true archaeologist, explore this venue dedicated to the eternal life of a queen of Egypt …
Will you be able to find your way back through this labyrinth maze?

Path to immortality

The ascent to the remarkably preserved queen’s tomb reveals the richness of Egyptian flora through dried yellow immortals, sacred lotus, cornflowers, giant fabric poppies, strong symbols of immortality and rebirth. During the vertiginous descent which will lead you towards the sarcophagus of a queen, you will admire a giant scarab fresco, symbol par excellence of ancient Egypt. The so-called “heart scarab” is an essential amulet for the deceased, a symbol of eternal life.

Egyptian fresco and sarcophagus

Frescoes are an important area of Egyptian art. Over 5 meters long, it recalls the story of Tahoser, Queen of Egypt inspired by Théophile Gauthier’s “Roman de la momie”. Will you dare to bend over her sarcophagus? At the risk of being bewitched by her beauty?

An Egyptian tomb guarded by Gods made of steel

Collection of steel sculptures “Egypt 2.0” by the artist Romain Bresson: Isis, Thot, Horus, Osiris

His work bring contrasts between human being and machine. He makes old mechanical parts live again by incorporating them into his works. A mixture that perfectly blends with the setting of the Grande Chaufferie.

Photo exhibition

Egypt at the dawn of the 20th century by Marcel Schueller

A freeze frame on the remains and monuments from different eras of the long and rich history of Egypt as they were captured between 1909 and 1928. It is also an immersion in everyday life on the markets and in the streets of Egypt at the beginning of the 20th century which, moreover, received at that time, the first tourists. The photos were taken in stereoscopy. The stereoscope is an instrument designed for the observation of photographic shots, allowing the impression of depth and relief thanks to the fusion of two slightly different plane pictures, simultaneously and separately observed by each eye.

Digital canvas print by Barrisol company