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As you enter the former submarine base, you’ll first walk through a dimly lit orientation area that sets the mood. Panels usually explain the history of the space and the current digital exhibitions. Take a minute here, as it helps you understand the scale of what you’re about to see and which halls are screening which shows.
Step into the main digital basin
Next, follow the corridor into the main basin, the largest immersive hall. This is where towering walls, ceilings, and even the water surface come alive with moving projections. You’re free to walk around, stand still, or sit along the edges. The visuals loop continuously, so there’s no rush; you can watch full cycles or simply absorb the atmosphere.
Watch the temporary exhibition: Frida & Matisse
One of the highlights is the Frida Kahlo and Henri Matisse temporary exhibition, usually screened in a dedicated section or smaller basin. Expect vibrant colors, flowing animations of paintings, and music that matches each artist’s era and mood.
Explore the side basins
After the main show, wander into the secondary basins. These spaces are quieter and less crowded, giving you time to observe details you might miss in the main hall. Reflections in the water create mirror-like visuals, making even short clips feel expansive.
Walk the elevated pathways
Look out for raised walkways and viewing platforms. Climbing up offers a completely different perspective, and you’ll see how projections stretch across walls and ripple over the water. It’s also a good photo spot (where photography is permitted).
Take a final slow loop
Before exiting, do one last unhurried walk through your favorite basin. Because the projections are cyclical, you’ll likely notice new details: a color shift, a musical cue, or a painting you didn’t register the first time.
Exit through the gift & info area
The exit usually leads past a small shop and information counters. If you’re interested in the artists or digital art in general, you’ll often find books and prints related to the current exhibitions here.
Things to know before booking your tickets to Bassins des Lumières
Your entry ticket includes access to the temporary exhibition: Matisse, Frida Kahlo, Oniria & L'Échappée des Lignes at the Bassins des Lumières. It’s special for its immersive digital art experience, which includes giant projections, music, and vivid colors that bring iconic artworks to life.
The temporary exhibition starts 7 February 2026, and includes four exhibitions in total. Each visit lasts about 1 hour with last entry 1 hour before closing, and tickets can be purchased until 31 March 2026.
Bassins des Lumières highlights
Immersive digital art shows
The main draw of Bassins des Lumières is its large-scale digital exhibitions where famous artworks are projected across walls, ceilings, and even the water surface. Paintings by artists like Klimt, Van Gogh, or Dalí come alive with movement, music, and light, making it feel less like a museum and more like stepping inside a painting.
The world’s largest digital art center
Set inside a former WWII submarine base in Bordeaux, the sheer size of the space is striking. The massive concrete chambers and reflective pools create an atmosphere that is both industrial and poetic, amplifying the visual impact of the projections.
Reflections on water
One of the most memorable features is how the artworks ripple and mirror across the shallow water basins. The reflections double the visuals and make every angle feel different, so even standing still offers a new perspective every few seconds.
Multiple exhibition spaces
Besides the main hall, there are smaller rooms with contemporary or experimental digital art. These spaces often feature shorter, more abstract works that contrast nicely with the grand classical shows.
Music-driven experience
Each exhibition is paired with a carefully curated soundtrack (classical, orchestral, or modern) that guides the mood of the visuals. The combination of sound and light makes the visit feel cinematic and emotionally engaging rather than purely educational.
Easy, free-flow visit
There’s no fixed path or time limit inside. Visitors can wander, sit by the water, or simply lie back and watch the projections move across the ceilings, making it a relaxed and crowd-friendly cultural stop.
Bassins des Lumières: Top areas to explore
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The Main Basin (Les Bassins)
This is the heart of the experience. Vast concrete walls and enormous water pools become living canvases for digital art projections. Walk along the pathways or pause at the edges to watch artworks ripple across the water — it’s the most immersive and visually powerful space.
The Cube
A smaller, enclosed room dedicated to contemporary and experimental digital creations. Unlike the grand classical shows in the main basin, The Cube often features abstract visuals and modern soundscapes, offering a contrasting, more intimate artistic experience.
The Cistern (La Citerne)
A quieter, darker chamber designed for shorter or more minimalist projections. The mood here is calmer and more meditative, making it a nice break from the scale and intensity of the main hall.
Walkways along the water
Not exactly a “room,” but an important part of the visit. The raised pathways let you move between projections while seeing reflections from different angles. Each few steps can feel like a new artwork because of how light interacts with the water.
Ongoing exhibitions at Bassins des Lumières
Henri Matisse immersive exhibition
From: 7 February 2026
Address: Imp. Brown de Colstoun, 33300 Bordeaux
What's special: Masterpieces like the Blue Nudes and Luxe, Calme et Volupté in giant projections, a journey through Fauvism and bold color phases, shifting rooms of pink, green, and yellow tones, finale with the stained-glass windows of the Chapelle du Rosaire
Plan your visit to Bassins des Lumières
Opening hours: 10am to 6pm (some Saturdays extend to 8pm, and some Thursdays close at 5pm) — hours can vary by season and exhibition schedules.
Last entry: 1 hour before closing.
Time to spend: Most visitors spend about 1 to 1.5 hours enjoying the immersive projections and different spaces.
Best times to visit
Weekday mornings (10am – 12pm): quieter with more space to move and take photos.
Weekends and afternoons: Tend to be busier, especially during French school holidays and peak tourist times.
Address: Impasse Brown de Colstoun, 33300 Bordeaux, France
Nearest stop:Base Sous-Marine bus stop — about a 5-minute walk to the venue entrance (Bus line 9 and others)
Tram + bus:
From central Bordeaux Quinconces, take Tram C to Ravezies, then Bus 9 to Base Sous-Marine (then walk ~5 min)
By car:
Parking: Free municipal parking in front of the base (often fills up fast), Bassins des Lumières parking (can be reserved online, recommended to guarantee a space)
Fully accessible for visitors with reduced mobility
Free entry for visitors holding a disability card or valid AAH, AEEH, or ASI certificates (proof required)
Accompanying person receives a reduced-price ticket
Wheelchairs available to borrow with prior reservation
Walking-stick seats available on site without reservation
No flash photography or tripods to protect the projections and other visitors’ experience.
Food and drinks are prohibited inside, except water in closed bottles.
Smoking and vaping are strictly forbidden within the venue.
Follow staff instructions and keep walkways, ramps, and exits clear for safety and accessibility.
Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times, and running is not allowed.
Restrooms available on-site for visitors.
Wheelchair accessibility throughout the venue, with ramps and lifts.
Cloakroom/lockers for coats and bags.
Bookstore and gift shop open during visiting hours for art books, souvenirs, and exhibition-themed items.
Catch the Matisse light transitions: During the Matisse exhibition, move slowly from basin to basin to see how each color palette (pink, green, yellow) shifts with the music for a fully immersive effect.
Watch the ceiling and walls: Don’t just look at the water; projections extend to walls and ceilings, creating a 360° visual experience, especially in the main central basin.
Best spot for reflection shots: Stand at the far end of Basin 2 for dramatic mirror-like reflections of the art on the water — perfect for photos or soaking in the scale.
Pair with the Bassins shop: Pick up the Tokiko Bordeaux map or a tote bag featuring current exhibitions; these are limited edition and often change with the shows.
Evening visits for atmosphere: If available, attend late openings or extended hours; the dimmer light makes the projections even more striking and the soundscape more immersive.
Art book selection: Offers books on architecture, design, major art movements, and Bordeaux; also features artist monographs depending on current exhibitions.
Decorative items: Includes elegant, modern city maps of Bordeaux by Tokiko, tote bags in bright colors featuring Bassins des Lumières, and a range of jewelry.
Fashion & home accessories: Stationery, décor, tableware, and fashion items inspired by Monet, Renoir, Chagall, and other featured artists.
Access: Open during the art center’s opening hours; free entry.
History of Bassins des Lumières
1940–1943: Built during World War II in Bordeaux’s Bacalan district as a German submarine base. Thousands of workers constructed a massive concrete bunker with a bomb-resistant roof for U-boat operations.
1942–1944: Served as a key U-boat repair and mission port. Heavily bombed by Allied forces and abandoned in 1944.
Post-war: Taken over by the French Navy, later used by industrial companies for decades.
2020 – today: Redeveloped by the City of Bordeaux into Bassins des Lumières, now the world’s largest digital art centre with immersive exhibitions inside the former submarine base.
Frequently asked questions about the Bassins Lumières in Bordeaux
It is recommended to book tickets in advance to avoid long queues. Tickets can be purchased on-site, but availability is not guaranteed.
There are no age restrictions for visiting Bassins Lumières. It is a family-friendly attraction that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
The entire exhibition at Bassins Lumières takes approximately one hour to explore. However, visitors are free to take their time and enjoy the immersive experience at their own pace.
Photography is allowed inside Bassins Lumières, but the use of flash and tripods is prohibited.
Bassins Lumières can accommodate large groups. However, it is recommended to book in advance to ensure availability and to receive group rates.
New experience unlocked 🎨✨
Step into Bordeaux’s most immersive digital art experience at Bassins des Lumières. Choose your preferred time slot and wander through vast former submarine bases transformed into a mesmerizing world of light, sound, and monumental projections where art surrounds you from every angle.
Book now
Experience two world-renowned artists, Matisse and Frida Kahlo, brought to life through epic projections in Bordeaux’s digital art space.
Everything you get: Entry to the main immersive exhibition “Matisse, The Symphony of Colors” with large-scale digital projections, plus access to the short program “Frida Kahlo, En Plein Cœur.” Includes admission to the multi-sensory digital art space inside the historic submarine base.
Why choose this: Experience the works of a legendary French artist in a larger-than-life 360° immersive visual journey. This is a fully immersive art spectacle that blends music, movement, and monumental visuals for an experience you simply can’t get in a traditional museum.
Inclusions
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Access to Bassins des Lumières
Admission to the immersive exhibition: Matisse, the Symphony of Colors
Access to the short program: Frida Kahlo, en plein cœur
What to bring
Valid photo ID, ticket or mobile voucher.
Accessibility
This experience is wheelchair accessible
Additional information
Last admission is 1 hour and 15 minutes before closing.
Portions of the experience include a French voice-over, and some content may be in its original language.
Ticket is valid for 1 day; check availability for starting times.
Free cancellation available up to 24 hours in advance.
These tickets are valid until 31 December, 2026.
Tickets
Bassins des lumières: Matisse & Frida Kahlo Immersive Experience
Experience two world-renowned artists, Matisse and Frida Kahlo, brought to life through epic projections in Bordeaux’s digital art space.
Everything you get: Entry to the main immersive exhibition “Matisse, The Symphony of Colors” with large-scale digital projections, plus access to the short program “Frida Kahlo, En Plein Cœur.” Includes admission to the multi-sensory digital art space inside the historic submarine base.
Why choose this: Experience the works of a legendary French artist in a larger-than-life 360° immersive visual journey. This is a fully immersive art spectacle that blends music, movement, and monumental visuals for an experience you simply can’t get in a traditional museum.