Construction of prison 1677 (≈ 1677)
Former Blaye Civil and Military Prison.
1938-1968
Collections by Paul Raboutet
Collections by Paul Raboutet 1938-1968 (≈ 1953)
Period of establishment of museum collections.
Fin XIXe siècle
Processing into a bakery
Processing into a bakery Fin XIXe siècle (≈ 1995)
Reuse of the building after its prison function.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Paul Raboutet (1902-1968) - Founder of the SAVB
Collected most of the museum's collections.
André Lamandé - Local figure
Mentioned in the biographies exhibited.
André Lafon - Local figure
Mentioned in the biographies exhibited.
Origin and history
The Museum of Art and History of the British Country has its origins in the collections gathered by Paul Raboutet (1902-1968), founder of the Blaye Archaeological and Historical Society (SAVB). Between 1938 and 1968, it brought together a varied set of objects covering periods ranging from prehistory to modern times, including Gallo-Roman, Paleo-Christian, medieval artifacts, as well as elements related to architecture, decorative arts and military collections. These objects come from excavations carried out in the Blaye citadel and the former Saint-Roman Abbey, illustrating the evolution of the territory over more than 7,000 years.
The museum is housed in the former Blaye Civil and Military Prison, built in 1677 and transformed into a bakery in the late 19th century. This place preserves remains of its prison past, while sheltering thematic collections related to daily life, such as the exploitation of cereals or the pharmacy of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Among the remarkable pieces are ancient pots of pharmacy, prints of the Restoration, as well as works by local writers of the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum also highlights regional figures, such as André Lamandé and André Lafon, and historical events such as Marie-Caroline's captivity or Blaye's military garrison.
Associated with the Blaye citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage site under the Vauban fortifications, the museum benefits from the French Museum label. Its collections reflect both local and regional history, as well as broader aspects of military and technical history. The site, located on Place de la Citadelle in Blaye, offers a complete panorama of the evolution of the country from antiquity to contemporary times, including key periods such as the Middle Ages and the Restoration.
The interest of the museum also lies in its architectural framework: the old prison, integrated into the citadel, bears witness to the urban transformations and successive uses of military buildings. Permanent and temporary exhibitions are based on a variety of archives (paper, sound, photographic) and old holdings, providing a multidisciplinary approach to history. Finally, the museum values specific themes, such as the construction of the citadel or the life of garrisons, while preserving everyday objects that illustrate local know-how, such as ceramics or bakery.
