Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Picardie Museum finds its origins in the 18th century with the creation of a cabinet of curiosities by Étienne de Fay at Saint-Jean-des-Prémontrés Abbey in Amiens. This cabinet, composed of heteroclite objects (tables, statues, ceramics, scientific instruments), prefigures future collections. In 1786, the Viscount of Breteuil proposed the creation of a museum in Amiens, a project interrupted by the French Revolution. In 1802, the state deposited about twenty paintings at the city hall, including works by Carle van Loo and François Boucher, marking the beginning of public collections.

In 1828, the Museum of the Bourse Hall opened, mainly dedicated to ancient statues. At the same time, the Picardie Antiquary Society, founded in 1839, was active in a museum worthy of the name. Thanks to its action, the project ended in 1855 with the laying of the first stone of the "Napoléon museum", financed by lottery authorized by Napoleon III. The building, designed by architect Henri Parent on the model of the Louvre, was inaugurated in 1867 and ceded to the city in 1869, becoming the museum of Picardie in 1875.

The museum is distinguished by its innovative architecture, specially designed to house regional collections and works of art. The decoration, entrusted to Arthur Diet and Eugène-Louis Lequesne, celebrates the glories of Picardia through sculptures and frescoes. The dome rotunda, decorated with paintings by Félix-Joseph Barrias and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, illustrates local literary, artistic and military figures. The large staircase, decorated by Puvis de Chavannes, and the galleries on the first floor complete this monumental ensemble.

The collections are enriched over the centuries, thanks in particular to bequests such as that of the painter Albert Maignan, who brings Egyptian and Greek antiques. The museum also houses major works such as the Huntings in Foreign Countries commissioned by Louis XV, or unique archaeological pieces such as the Venus de Renancourt. Successive expansions, including that of 1890 covering the central courtyard, and renovations (especially in 2020) modernize the space while preserving its heritage.

Ranked a historical monument in 2012, the Picardie Museum remains an exceptional testimony to the cultural history of the region. Its role in preserving and valuing heritage, from prehistoric artifacts to contemporary art (with works by Picasso or Sol LeWitt), makes it a must-see place for Hauts-de-France. The Berny Hotel Annex, dedicated to local art and regional history, complements this museum offer.

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