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Origin and history

The Musée agathois Jules-Baudou is a municipal museum of popular arts and traditions as well as fine arts, created in 1932 from a collection of objects gathered by the association Escolo daù Sarret. Jules Baudou, the first curator, was the initiator. Located in a Renaissance hotel in the historic centre of Agde, this place was once the work of charity founded in the seventeenth century by Bishop Louis Fouquet. The museum, officially founded in 1935, consists of 27 rooms on three levels, renovated in 2011 and 2012.

The museum explores the arts and traditions of Agde, from antiquity to today, with a section dedicated to fine arts, including works by Azema brothers (Louis, Ernest and Auguste), natives of the city. Another part highlights the maritime and wine heritage of Agde, once one of the major ports of the Mediterranean. Crafts of boats, ex-votos, and objects related to fishing and commerce illustrate this story. The collections also include interior reconstitutions, traditional costumes such as garter (lace hair), and earthenware pieces from the 17th and 18th centuries.

The museum also houses Art Nouveau furniture created by Léon Cauvy and Paul Arnavielhe, from Villa Laurens, as well as a section of art in the Far East displayed in windows of the Paris World Exhibition of 1889. The pharmacy of the Agde hospital is reconstituted. Labeled Musée de France in 2002, he also celebrates living traditions, such as local festivals where the Agathois still wear the traditional costume.

The collections are organized into three main themes: folklore and daily life (reconstitutions of interiors, jousts, costumes), the sea and the land (boats, navigational instruments, vine and wine), and furniture and the arts. Wax mannequins by Pierre Imans evoke daily life in the 19th and 20th centuries, while showcases present lace, cashmere and typical accessories.

The museum bears witness to the historic importance of Agde, a maritime and commercial hub since ancient times. Its heritage reflects both the Mediterranean heritage, wine-growing activities and local artisanal wealth. Permanent and temporary exhibitions offer a journey through the centuries, mixing history, art and popular traditions still alive today.

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