Aubette 1928
Aubette 1928 is a suite of entertainment rooms decorated between 1926 and 1928 by Theo van Doesburg, Sophie Taeuber-Arp and Hans Jean Arp, hidden behind the classical façade of Place Kléber. Covered over in 1938 and later restored, this geometric avant-garde interior can be visited free of charge on Wednesday to Saturday afternoons. A rare immersion in 1920s abstract art, right in the heart of Strasbourg.
An 18th-century building, a Roaring Twenties interior
The Aubette lines the north side of Place Kléber. Built in the 18th century, the building served military purposes, then housed a café-concert and a museum, before being gutted by the 1870 fire and rebuilt behind its façade. In the 1920s Paul and André Horn, developers from Mulhouse with a taste for modern art, set up an entertainment complex here. They entrusted the interiors to three artists, and the venue opened on 16 February 1928. The name "Aubette 1928" refers specifically to these rooms, now part of the Strasbourg city museums.
Van Doesburg, Taeuber-Arp and Arp: a total work of art
Theo van Doesburg, a leading figure of the Dutch De Stijl movement, wanted the Aubette to be a total work of art. With Sophie Taeuber-Arp and Hans Jean Arp, he designed not only the walls and ceilings but also the floors, furniture, signage and typography. The vocabulary is deliberately pared down: simple geometric shapes, a limited colour palette and coloured planes that structure the space and guide the eye. You don't visit a collection hung on walls here; you walk inside an abstract composition made for dancing, having a drink or watching a film.
Covered up in 1938, rediscovered and restored
This radical interior did not last: it was covered up as early as 1938. Rediscovered in the 1970s, it was protected as a historic monument: the ciné-bal and staircase in 1985, the salle des fêtes and foyer-bar in 1989. Restoration took place in two stages: the ciné-bal was brought back between 1985 and 1994, then the staircase, salle des fêtes and foyer-bar between 2004 and 2006. What you see today is therefore the result of long reconstruction work that makes a long-hidden work legible again.
A free stop in the heart of Place Kléber
The entrance is at 31 Place Kléber, and admission is free from Wednesday to Saturday, 2 pm to 6 pm. The museums provide a visitor route and supporting materials to help you understand the rooms. Allow about an hour if you want to take in the colours and details. The venue also hosts talks and concerts and can be hired for events. You're right in the centre: the Grande Île, the cathedral and the banks of the Ill are a few minutes' walk away, making it an easy stop between two visits.
Practical information
Frequently asked questions
Where is Aubette 1928?
At 31 Place Kléber, on the north side of the main square in central Strasbourg, on the Grande Île.
Why does the Aubette matter in art history?
It is a rare entertainment interior designed entirely by avant-garde artists, Theo van Doesburg, Sophie Taeuber-Arp and Hans Jean Arp, who designed the walls as well as the furniture and typography.
Is there an admission fee?
No, admission is free, Wednesday to Saturday from 2 pm to 6 pm according to the Strasbourg museums' website. Check before you go, as the venue also hosts events.
What can I see near the Aubette?
The whole Grande Île is within walking distance: the cathedral and Palais Rohan to the east, Petite France to the south-west. To keep exploring modern art, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art is across the Ill.
Wikimedia Commons — Tangopaso · Wikimedia Commons — Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris, France
