How to Design a Wine Museum: Insights from La Cité du Vin in Bordeaux

TLDR: In this article, a case study analyses the challenges of experience design and technological innovations in the cultural context of the world of wine, focusing on the different aspects of museum design and original scenography solutions to meet visitor expectations.

Abstract: Listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2007, Bordeaux city welcomes more than five million tourists annually. Sharing its age-old wine culture, demystifying its meaning, protecting and passing on this intangible universal heritage has become the mission of the important cultural wine centre “La Cite de Vin” that opened its doors in June 2016. An 81 million euro project with a staff of 200, the centre covers more than 14,000 m2, hosts a state-of-the-art experiential museum, temporary exhibitions, cultural and wine-tasting workshops, movie projections, restaurants, boutiques, a wine cellar, a library as well as professional and academic seminars. It has successfully attained the target of receiving 450,000 paying customers per annum in its first year of operation. This case study analyses the challenging issues of experience design and technological innovations in the cultural context of the world of wine, focusing on the different aspects of museum design and original scenography solutions to meet visitor expectations. The case also offers valuable insights into the effectiveness of design choices in the wine tourism sector.