Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Musée Émile Chénon originated in 1956, when the discovery of a "amphora cellar" in Châteaumeillant prompted the municipality to exhibit objects from the archaeological excavations of Jacques Gourvest and Émile Hugoniot. As early as 1957, a hall of the old town hall welcomed these remains, but the influx of discoveries quickly imposed a move. In 1961, the collections were transferred to the Hôtel de Grégueil, a communal building dating from the late 14th to the 19th century, and the museum opened its doors at the 2nd International Colloquium of Gaulish Studies. Its official inauguration under the name "Museum Émile Chénon" took place only on September 22, 1963, after important work.

Jacques Gourvest, archaeologist and curator of the museum until his death in 1984, oversees the enrichment of collections, which gradually extend to ethnological gifts centered on popular arts and traditions. However, after more than half a century, museography became obsolete. The discovery in 2012 by Sophie Krausz of exceptional objects in well 269, including four Gallo-Roman bronzes unique as a leaping lion, accelerates a major renovation project. The city council decided in 2013 to rethink the entire space to integrate these pieces and modernize the presentation.

The museum reopens in June 2015 with an innovative, interactive museum that focuses on the ancient history of Châteaumeillant. Ethnological collections, on the other hand, are relocated elsewhere to refocus the site on its archaeological core. The Hôtel de Grégueil, formerly called "Petit Château", now houses italic amphoras, Gallo-Roman bronzes and remains from the local excavations, while offering optimal conditions of conservation and security. This renewal aims to attract a diverse audience, while highlighting the city's unique heritage.

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