Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Départemental Museum of Prehistory of Île-de-France, inaugurated in 1981 in Nemours (Seine-et-Marne), was born in 1972 by Michel Brézillon, director of prehistoric Antiquities of Île-de-France, and Étienne Dailly, president of the Conseil général. This project aimed to enhance regional archaeological discoveries, including prehistoric soil mouldings at the Pucevent site, developed by Brézillon under the direction of André Leroi-Gourhan. Nemours was chosen for its prehistoric heritage, after the withdrawal of Montereau-Fault-Yonne, closer to the site.

Designed by architect Roland Simonet, the building in raw concrete and glass integrates harmoniously into the forest of Nemours-Poligny, extension of the forest of Fontainebleau. Simonet adapted his project to the natural site, preserving trees and rocks, and creating a dialogue between architecture and the landscape. The museum, labeled "Twentieth Century Heritage" and listed in the Additional Inventory of Historic Monuments since 2002, illustrates the climax of Simonet's style, where concrete mimics the surrounding sandstones and skates over time.

The museum route, defined by Michel Brézillon and Jean-Bernard Roy with the support of André Leroi-Gourhan and Georges-Henri Rivière, offers two circuits: a main chronological course (7 rooms) and a deepening course (4 rooms bis). Prehistoric soil moulds, such as those of Etiolles or Pinchvent, allow visitors to discover the methods of excavation and the remains in situ. The minimalist scenography, signed Simonet, highlights archaeological objects, while patio gardens restore the floras of different prehistoric periods.

The collections cover 500,000 years of history, from the first carved stone tools (lower Paleolithic) to Gaulish objects of the 1st century BC. Major pieces include a Magdalenian engraved stone from Etiolles (14,500 years old), a Mesolithic Monoxyle canoe from Noyen-sur-Seine, and Neolithic axes from Jablines mining. The last room evokes the transition to antiquity, with Gaulish coins and a Carolingian boat, highlighting the continuity between Prehistory and historical periods.

The museum is part of a national context of cultural dynamism of the 1980s, marked by decentralization and the creation of new heritage facilities. First ex nihilo museum built in France outside Paris (excluding Pompidou centre), it embodies an innovative approach to archaeological museum, combining scientific research, pedagogy and landscape integration. Its renovation in 2018 made it possible to modernize the spaces while preserving the original spirit of the project.

The origin of the collections is diverse: antique or rescue excavations, surface gatherings, and gifts of objects discovered by chance in the 19th and 20th centuries. The museum plays a key role in the conservation and dissemination of the prehistoric heritage of the Paris Basin, while addressing all audiences, including schools and persons with disabilities. Its architecture and museography make it a model of balance between modernity and respect for the natural setting.

External links