Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

In 1819, a learned society was formed in Orange, bringing together ancient books, archives and various objects, under the impetus of the Baron of Stassart, sub-prefect. These eclectic collections become the core of the city's future archives, libraries and museums. However, the looting of the Gallo-Roman necropolises and sites by amateurs and museums (such as the British Museum or the Calvet Museum in Avignon) impoverishes local heritage. The archaeologist François Artaud tries to remedy this by legiting his house and collections to the municipality, but these are eventually dispersed.

In 1933, the city devoted two rooms of the Hotel de Drevon (17th century) to its past, exhibiting archaeological fragments, including three Roman cadastres engraved under Vespasian, revealing the ancient land organization. The museum was then enriched with major gifts: the Belleroche collection (1940-1957), the Wetter canvases (1764, illustrating an Indian factory), and objects related to the Gasparin family, as well as local military and religious history. The collections cover archaeology, fine arts, and technical history, reflecting the diversity of the territory.

The Drevon hotel, with its stone staircase and French ceilings, also houses paintings (Brangwyn, Belleroche) and municipal archives. The museum highlights the principality of Orange, linked to the Netherlands, and the excavations of the ancient theatre, while preserving unique elements such as friezes of the stage wall or an 18th century hospital pharmacy. His label Musée de France underlines his role in the conservation of the Valencian heritage.

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