Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Pons Archaeological Museum, also known as the Louis Lassarade Museum, originated in 1965 under the impetus of Louis Lassarade, a teacher and archaeology enthusiast. The latter founded the Société Archéologique Pontoise (SAP), which gathers objects from local excavations and donations. The first collections, exhibited in the Pons dungeon, suffer from infiltration, pushing their transfer in 1995 to the chapel Saint-Gilles, disused since the Revolution. This place, although picturesque, poses problems of accessibility and conservation, limiting visits to the summer period.

In 2013, the museum was renamed a tribute to Louis Lassarade, who died in 2008, marking his legacy in the preservation of local heritage. Faced with the old chapel and the increase in visitors (2,500 in 2015), negotiations with the municipality led in 2017 to a move to a municipal building and then to the Pilgrim Hospital. This new, more accessible and modern location allows a record 5,500 visitors in 2020, while integrating facilities for people with disabilities.

The collections cover all periods of human occupation of Pons, from prehistory (musterian station) to the Revolution, through Gallo-Roman, Merovingian and medieval periods. From local excavations or donations, the objects illustrate regional history. The SHAPR association, led successively by Armand Favreau, and then Jean-François Mauret, has worked to modernize museumography and expand access to the public, collaborating with the tourist office for regular openings.

The evolution of the museum also reflects its roots in local life: first managed by volunteers and opened only in summer, it becomes a sustainable structure with temporary exhibitions and improved accessibility. Its growing success makes it a key player in tourism in Pons, while preserving the archaeological memory of the region.

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