Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Camargue Museum has its origin in the desire to enhance the territory of the Camargue Regional Natural Park, created in 1970. As early as 1973, collections were created to illustrate the role of man in the landscapes and environmental balance of this unique region, where nothing is completely natural or artificial. These collections aim to provide the public with a better understanding of the interactions between human activities and their environment.

In 1978, the museum established itself in the Pont de Rousty farmhouse, a traditional agricultural estate that once housed a sheepfold capable of hosting 1,500 sheep in the 19th century. This site becomes the showcase of the territory, highlighting its rural heritage and its architectural specificities. Following the floods of 1993 and 1994, a renovation and extension project was launched, but only took place 20 years later, in 2013. The sheepfold, renovated in a logic of sustainable development, is then dedicated to the permanent museum, while its original frame is preserved.

The extension of the museum, designed by the Marseille workshop of heritage architect Philippe Donjerkovic, is inaugurated in 2019. It includes a new reception and a space dedicated to temporary exhibitions, completing the cultural offer of the site. The museum offers an immersion in the Camargue yesterday and today through various collections: Gallo-Roman archaeology, ethnology (costumes, furniture, tools), photography, local history, geology and contemporary art. The permanent exhibition "Le fil de l'eau, le fil du temps" addresses contemporary issues in the territory, while the space "La Camargue en images" explores its representation through photography and cinema.

The domain of the Pont de Rousty farmhouse, the administrative seat of the Regional Natural Park, illustrates a typical local architectural model. A 3.5 km discovery trail allows visitors to immerse themselves in the Camargue landscapes (cultivated fields, marshes) and their links with human activities, strengthening the educational and immersive dimension of the museum.

External links