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Key figures

Origin and history

The Bossuet Museum was inaugurated in 1926 in Mareuil-lès-Meaux, within the former Episcopal City of Meaux, an architectural complex partly dating back to the 12th century. Its collections, made up from the 19th century, come from donations, bequests (like that of the son of Henri Moissan in 1914), archaeological excavations and state deposits. The museum showcases local history, from antiquity to the 19th century, with goldsmith's pieces, episcopal furniture and paintings from the 17th to 18th centuries, enriched since 1983 by Jean-Pierre and Annie Changeux.

The episcopal city, the historic heart of the museum, was once the area reserved for the bishop and the canons of Saint Stephen's Cathedral. It has retained its eighteenth-century physiognomy, mixing medieval elements (such as the lower halls of the Episcopal Palace) and redevelopments of the seventeenth–XVIII centuries. After the 1905 law on the separation of churches and the state, the municipality of Meaux, led by Georges Lugol, acquired the palace in 1911 to transform it into a cultural space. The Bossuet Garden and the ramparts were restored to their original appearance.

Today, the museum occupies the floors of the Episcopal Palace: the first floor houses fine arts, while the lower rooms of the twelfth century welcome temporary exhibitions and archaeological collections (gallo-Roman and medieval antiquity). The former office of Bishop Bossuet, emblematic figure, exhibits objects bearing witness to his heritage. The episcopal city, formerly a religious centre, is now dedicated to the preservation of local heritage and its cultural enhancement.

The areas covered by the museum include archaeology, modern and contemporary art, fine arts and the history of Meaux. Labeled Museum of France, it enjoys a location in an exceptional historical setting, classified close to Saint-Étienne Cathedral. His interest also lies in the diversity of his collections, ranging from ancient remains to paintings from the 17th to 18th centuries, including episcopal furniture.

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