Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Lodève Museum, originally called the Fleury Museum, finds its origins in the desire to enhance local petrographic and paleontological wealth. In 1868, the Geological Society of France proposed the creation of such a place, but it was the gift of archaeologist Jacques Audibert in the 20th century that made the project a reality. In 1957, the municipal council of Lodève formalized its creation, and the museum opened in 1962 in the Carmelite Chapel under the name of the Audibert Museum, before gradually expanding.

The acquisition of the studio fund of the sculptor Paul Dardé in 1972, ceded by his widow, marks a turning point. The archaeological and artistic collections were gathered in 1987 in the former hotel of Cardinal de Fleury, a 17th-XVIIIth century building. This building, redesigned and enlarged between 2013 and 2018, has been extended from 1,052 m2 to 2,436 m2, incorporating a contemporary extension. The museum is completely redesigned, giving the museum the prize for the most beautiful metamorphosis in 2019.

Since the 1990s, the museum has specialized in temporary exhibitions (1860-1930), hosting works by Bonnard, Utrillo, or Klee. Its collections, enriched by donations such as Audibert and Alice Dardé, cover modern art, archaeology and natural sciences. The institution thus illustrates the evolution of French museums, between heritage preservation and innovation, while anchoring its identity in local history and Languedoc landscapes.

The Hotel de Fleury, birthplace of Cardinal de Fleury (preceptor of Louis XV), symbolizes this link between past and present. The present façade, open on the old garden, preserves traces of its original architecture, like a fountain. The 2018 renovation allowed this historical heritage to be reconciled with modern spaces, making the museum a major cultural player in Occitanie.

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