Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Alpilles Museum was founded in 1919 in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, in the Bouches-du-Rhône. It occupies the Mistral Hotel in Mondragon, a Renaissance mansion classified as a historical monument since 1862. This building, also known as the Planet House, embodies the prestigious civil architecture of the region at that time. Its initial collections already reflected a desire to preserve local memory, combining archaeology, ethnology and natural sciences.

Between 2002 and 2005, the museum underwent a major renovation after the acquisition in 1989-1990 of two poorly-fit, adjoining houses. This work has resulted in the complete restructuring of the spaces, with nine permanent rooms, three temporary exhibition rooms, a graphic arts firm and an interior courtyard. The aim was to improve the preservation of collections (gallo-Roman archaeology, Provencal ethnology, botany, photographs) and public reception, while integrating educational workshops such as typography and engraving, equipped with a donation in 1997.

The museum highlights the heritage of the Alpilles, between Rhône, Durance and calcareous massif, through various themes: fossils, agricultural activities (olive, vine, sheep), Camargue bullfighting, or traditional costumes. Special attention is paid to modest arts, such as ex-votos, santons in raw land, or wrought canes, as well as contemporary creation. The presence of major artists, such as Vincent van Gogh (who stayed in Saint-Rémy in 1889-1890) or Albert Gleizes (resident from 1939 to 1953), is mentioned, as is the felibre movement initiated by Frédéric Mistral in the 19th century. Two rooms are dedicated to typography and print, highlighting the museum's orientation towards paper works.

The Hotel Mistral de Mondragon, the heart of the museum, is a remarkable example of Renaissance architecture in Provence. Ranked among the first historical monuments of France (1862), it now houses eclectic collections, fossils, photographs, agricultural tools and archives. The bust of Van Gogh by Ossip Zadkine, exposed in the courtyard, symbolizes the link between local heritage and artistic creation, a central theme of the institution.

Temporary exhibitions, such as the one dedicated to Mario Prassinos in 2016, complement this cultural offer. The museum, labeled Musée de France, plays a key role in the transmission of regional history, from Provençal traditions to artistic innovations, while relying on a building full of five centuries of history.

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