Legacy Roussillon 1853 (≈ 1853)
Ornithology collection at the origin of the museum.
1889
Opening of the museum
Opening of the museum 1889 (≈ 1889)
Installation in the Romanesque house.
années 1950
Transfer of sculptures
Transfer of sculptures années 1950 (≈ 1950)
Romanesque fragments of the abbey preserved.
années 1980
Ethnographic creation
Ethnographic creation années 1980 (≈ 1980)
Collection of traditional local tools.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Guy Foulques (Clément IV) - Pope (1265–1268)
Original owner of the house.
Henry Révoil - Architect-restaurant
Restoration of the house (1970s).
Origin and history
The museum of the Romanesque house has its origin in the legacy Roussillon of 1853, a collection of ornithology originally exhibited at Saint-Gilles City Hall. In 1889, the collections were transferred to the Romanesque house, which then became a museum of natural history. This building, dated from the end of the 12th century, belonged to the family of Pope Clement IV (Guy Foulques), troubadour and lawyer elected in 1265. Restored by Henry Révoil in the 1870s, he now retains a remarkable state.
In the 1950s, the museum houses carved Romanesque fragments from the Abbey of Saint-Gilles, saved for their conservation. These pieces, joined by iconographic documents on urban evolution, form the core of the archaeological collection. The 1980s marked a turning point with the creation of an ethnographic component, thanks to donations of ancient tools (XIX-20th centuries) illustrating local agricultural and craft life.
Among the treasures exhibited are a polychrome statue of Saint Gilles (XIVth century) and medieval sculptures of the abbey, bearing witness to the artistic influence of the city. The Romanesque house itself, with its papacy-related history and preserved architecture, is a unique setting for these varied collections, from natural sciences to ethnology.
