Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Henri-Barré museum occupies a neo-Gothic mansion built in 1862 in Thouars by doctor and collector Henri Barré, on the foundations of an old church, Saint-Pierre du Châtelet. This building, designed according to Henri Barré's own plans, was used to house his travel collections. When he died in 1887, the property passed to his brother Gustave, then to the widow of Henri, Leopoldine, before being left to the city in 1893. A modest first municipal museum had existed since 1893 in the town hall, but it was after the death of Léopoldine in 1912 that the project took shape: renovation works transformed the house into a museum, inaugurated in 1920 under the name of Henri Barré in tribute to his family.

The building, inspired by 15th-century Thouarsese architecture (such as the Tyndo Hotel or the Saint-Médard church), is distinguished by a double staircase tower and a steep roof. The interior preserves decorations painted by Faustin Besson, friend of the Barré brothers, including a circular ceiling and an oval painting above the fireplace. The museum, initially managed by volunteers, has been professionalized to offer temporary exhibitions and educational activities, while valuing its eclectic collections: faience, fine arts, furniture, archaeology and ethnography.

Since 2001, Thouars has been awarded the City of Art and History label, which boosted the museum's presentation. The collections, enriched by bequests and the old municipal fonds, cover various fields such as protohistory, modern art or local history. The museum is also preparing the opening of new rooms in the South Pavilion of Thouars Castle, dedicated to architecture and heritage, thus expanding its cultural influence in the territory.

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