Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Museum of Sens finds its origins in the middle of the 19th century, when collections from revolutionary seizures and private donations (such as that of Alfred Lorne) were gathered in the former town hall, Hotel Vezou. In 1844, the Archaeological Society of Sens added Gallo-Roman remains discovered in the city walls. The expansion of the collections imposed an expansion in 1891, with a wing dedicated to lapidaries and paintings, then a prehistoric section in 1950 thanks to Augusta Hure.

In 1985, the museum moved to the former Archbishop's Palace, classified as a historical monument, adjacent to St. Stephen's Cathedral. This site then brought together the treasures of the cathedral (Byzantine fabrics, reliquaries, crown of thorns), the collections of the Archaeological Society, and works of art ranging from prehistory (treasure of Villethierry, 1000 BC) to contemporary times (Rodin, Brueghel the Younger). The museum closed in 2024 for renovation and reopened in January 2026 with a modernized tour.

The flagship collections include the treasure of Villethierry (488 bronze pins adorned, bronze age), Gallo-Roman steles (like that of the Two Elderly Spouses), and exceptional liturgical pieces: the Holy Byzantine Chassus (XII century), the Holy English Cup (XII century), and part of the crown of the thorns of Christ, offered by Saint Louis in 1239. The tapestry of the Three Coronations (1476–88), commissioned by the Bourbons, illustrates Flemish art of the time.

The museum also preserves major works such as The Visit to the Farm of Louis Joseph Watteau, the bronzes of Rodin, and the ceramics of Jean Mayodon. The underground rooms exhibit 40 Gallo-Roman funeral steles, revealing the social diversity of the period (forgerons, nobles, gladiators). The treasure of Saint-Denis-lès-Sens (242 Gaulish gold coins, stolen in 2012) and the Persian fabrics of the cathedral's treasure are among the rarest coins.

The museum's history reflects the evolution of museum practices: from a cabinet of curiosities in the 19th century to a unified heritage space in an episcopal palace. Donations (the Marrey family, Raymond Subes) and local archaeological excavations (Charmoy, Passy) enriched his holdings. Temporary closure for work, its reopening in 2026 promises an unprecedented enhancement of these multi-year collections.

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