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The National Center for Costume and Theatrical Design is the only museum of its kind in France and in the world dedicated entirely to the material heritage of the world of theater.

The mission of the CNCS is to preserve, study and promote a heritage of over 10,000 performing arts costumes from theater, opera and ballet. These collections were born through the contribution of its three founding institutions – the French National Library, the Comédie-Française theater company and the Opéra de Paris. Since then, this exceptional collection has expanded thanks to donations from iconic theater and dance companies, theaters and artists.

A unique museum and scientific resource, the CNCS welcomes professionals and researchers as well as the general public. It also offers dedicated visits for schools and those studying for a career in the sector.

Located in Moulins in the Allier region, the CNCS is a perfect example of cultural decentralization. A French Public Institute for Cultural Cooperation (EPCC), it is a major national and innovative facility with the dual purpose of supporting regional development, and local, national and international cultural influence.

The missions of the CNCS are:

  • the constitution and expansion of the collections through permanent dialogue with the founding institutions and in response to requests from other institutions or professionals in the performing arts sector.
  • the preservation of the collections through fully equipped and appropriate storage facilities and a policy of preventive conservation and restoration.
  • the promotion of the collections through the presentation of the Nureyev Collection and a program of temporary exhibitions organized at the CNCS or internationally, a program of cultural activities and educational workshops offered to different audiences.
  • the study of the collections and contribution to scientific research through the constitution of specific documentation, the development of research projects for advanced academic studies, schools, universities and specialized courses, as well as professionals in the sector.

Board of Directors

Honorary Chair: Christian LACROIX
Chair: Jean-Luc CHOPLIN, expert
Vice-chair: Juliette BAZIN, expert

Board Members:

  • Pascale TRIMBACH, Préfète of Allier
  • Jean-François HÉBERT, Ministry of Culture, Director General of heritage
  • Christopher MILES, Ministry of Culture, Director General of artistic creation
  • Marc DROUET, Ministry of Culture, Regional Director of cultural affairs for Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
  • Pierre-André PÉRISSOL, Mayor of Moulins, former minister
  •  Bernadette MARTIN, Deputy Mayor of Moulins
  • Claude RIBOULET, President of the Conseil Départemental of Allier
  • Laurence ENGEL, President of the French National Library
  • Eric RUF, General administrator of the Comédie-Française
  • Alexander NEEF, Director of the Opéra de Paris
  • Madeline FONTAINE, expert
  • Robert CARSEN, expert
  • Serge CARREIRA, expert
  • Stéphanie LAPORTE, staff representative
  • Elisabeth de SAUVERZAC, costume designer, representative for the Conseil d’orientation scientifique et culturel (as a consultant)
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Le Conseil d'orientation scientifique et culturel

  • Delphine PINASA, Director of the CNCS

  • Esclarmonde MONTEIL, Chief Curator, Musées de France – Ministry of Culture

  • Annabel POINCHEVAL, Inspector at the Collège Théâtre – department of inspection of artistic creation, General Directorate of Artistic Creation – Ministry of Culture

  • M. Bruno YTHIER, Chief Curator of Heritage, Museums/Arts Advisor, DRAC Auvergne – Rhône-Alpes – Ministry of Culture 

  • Mme Marie-Bénédicte SEYNHAEVE KERMORGANT, Head of collections departement des collections, CNCS
  • Pierre PROVOYEUR, Honorary General Curator of Heritage

  • Joël HUTHWOH, Curator, Director of the Performing Arts Department – French National Library

  • Agathe SANJUAN, Curator, Director of the museum–library Comédie-Française

  • Christine NEUMEISTER, Director of costume atelier – Opéra de Paris

  • Eric CHENAL, ENSAAMA – Olivier de Serres Director

  • Aziza GIL-MARIOTTE,  Director of Lyon Textile Arts Museum 

  • Laurent GUTMAN, Director of ENSATT

  • Catherine TREILHOU-BALAUDE, Professor of history and theater aesthetics –Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3

  • Olivier BERIOT, costume designer

  • Alexandre de DARDEL, set designer

  • Claudine LACHAUD, Designer at the CARACO-CANEZOU studio

  • Claudine LACHAUD, Fonder atelier Caraco Canezou, Paris

The team

DIRECTOR
Delphine Pinasa

ADMINISTRATOR
Vincent Foray

ADMINISTRATION
Accounting department: Brigitte Lacalmontie, Anne Aulibert

ACCOUNTING OFFICER
Laetitia Chelly

COMMUNICATION
Loriane Pobelle

TECHNICAL EXHIBITION SERVICES
Ricardo Casas
Ludovic Samoey

COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT
Manager : Marie-Bénédicte Seynhaeve Kermorgant 
Collections management: Fabienne Sabarros-Helly
Conservation: Pierre-Jean Colacicco, Garance Torreilles
Collection inventory officer: Manon Mauguin
Research associate: Elsa Bataille-Testu

VISITOR SERVICES
Manager: Camille Corteggiani
In charge of visitor reception, ticket sales and book & gift shop: Amandine Lombard
Coordinator: Stéphanie Laporte-Laubignat
Reservations officer: Geneviève Gardette
In charge of education and schools: Sandra Julien
Partner professors: Aude Sagnot
In charge of public mediation: Jean-Baptiste Leblond
Front desk: Julie Gonnard, Céline Guichon, Emmanuelle Marotin, Lucie Deleuze, Mélanie Chassin
Expert guides: Stéphanie Laporte-Laubignat, Pascale Vassy, Joséphine Lederer-Paupert