Legitimation Processes for a Branch Museum Development in a Post-Industrial City: The Louvre-Lens Museum in France.

This article examines the legitimation processes employed by institutional actors in establishing the Louvre-Lens museum, a branch of the Louvre located in the post-industrial city of Lens, northern France. It identifies two primary legitimation strategies: an economic strategy emphasizing the museum's potential to drive regional economic revitalization, often compared to the Guggenheim Bilbao effect, and a cultural strategy focusing on linking the museum to Lens's industrial heritage to foster local appropriation and cultural democratization. While the economic strategy faced tensions related to funding concerns and unmet economic expectations after the museum's 2012 opening, the cultural strategy was progressively reinforced through exhibitions and community engagement, encountering less resistance. The study highlights the importance of considering the socio-economic, historical, and political context of post-industrial cities in the legitimation and development of branch museums and offers recommendations for policymakers to manage expectations and enhance local integration.