Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Baugé Museum of Art and History is housed in a wing of King René's castle, a 15th century building classified as a historical monument. This castle, located in the commune of Baugé (Maine-et-Loire), houses a museum labeled Museum of France, created in 1905 on the initiative of the then mayor. Its eclectic collections include numismatic objects, antique weapons, ceramics, as well as a cabinet of paleontological and ethnological curiosities. The museum thus bears witness to the diversity of local heritage and donations received since its foundation.

The creation of the museum dates back to March 3, 1905, when Mayor M. Brion called for donations through the press and circulars addressed to local personalities, including artists such as painter Alexis Axilette or sculptor Jules Desbois. The first collections are made up of generous donors, including Messrs Bariller, Beldent and Manceau, who offer numismatics, ceramics and weapons. These contributions, enriched throughout the twentieth century, allow the museum to play a role in the preservation and transmission of regional history.

The museum is part of the Baugeois landscape, a region marked by its historical and cultural heritage. Its location in the Baugé castle, which was returned to the city by the department in 1901, reinforces its territorial anchor. The collections, supplemented by popular art objects, paintings and sculptures, reflect both local history and diverse interests, such as ethnology and paleontology. The museum remains today a key player in the development of the Angelvin heritage.

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