Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The museum originated in 1862 when Mr. Ferrières left his collection of art, paintings and medals to the city of Nogent-le-Rotrou. Clara Filleul de Pétigny completes this initial nucleus by legging three of her paintings. These works were first exhibited in the town hall, then transferred in 1910 to a room adjacent to the library, in a cabinet of curiosity. The city's acquisition of the Château Saint-Jean in 1950 marked a turning point: the museum was transferred there under the supervision of M. Blanc, curator of the museums of Le Mans, and inaugurated in 1959 with an exhibition dedicated to Sully.

The historic collections of the city hall were gradually installed in the 1960s at the castle, while an active acquisition policy enriched the funds. The "Musée du Perche" was officially inaugurated in 1972, highlighting various themes: rural and industrial life (ceramic, glassware, wood), economic history (tanneries, chapelries), and the famous percheron horse, regional symbol. A new museography is presented in 2019, modernizing the scenography.

The Château Saint-Jean, which houses the museum, is a medieval site renovated in the Renaissance. Dominating the Huisne Valley, it includes a 11th century Romanesque dungeon, a fortified enclosure, and rear fittings like a Renaissance house body. Fired in 1428 during the Hundred Years War, it was restored after the British left. He was transformed into a prison during the Revolution and saved from ruin in 1843 before welcoming the museum a century later.

The museum's collections illustrate both local history (documents, castle engravings), fine arts (paintings, sculptures), and ethnology (movement, rural habitat). A room is dedicated to works related to the castle, while a space highlights the percheron horse, emblematic ambassador of the region, through objects and artistic representations.

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