Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Beaune Museum of Fine Arts has its origins in the city's municipal library, where Jules Pautet, a history-loving curator, encourages donations of objects related to local heritage. Between 1800 and 1850, the collections became rich, notably with the model of the Gaspard Monge monument, offered by Rude, and the association of a museum of natural history, now extinct. The museum was established in 1853 in the north wing of the town hall, a former Ursulines convent, before moving in 1871 to the south wing, where more than 130 years remained.

In 1871 Hippolyte Michaud, a painter and curator, set up the grand hall of Fine Arts, while Émile Goussery created the hall Félix Jules Naigeon in 1932. During the Second World War, the works were sheltered in Châteauneuf, and in 1946 René André, a new professional curator, reorganized the museum into three sections: fine arts, archaeology and city history. He then discovered a painted 19th century ceiling hidden under plaster.

The museum moved in 2001-2002 to Porte Marie-de-Bourgogne, a modern site adapted to museum standards. In 2017, a new entrance and restructuring expanded exhibition spaces. The collections reflect the history of Beaune and his personalities, with works by Burgundy painters, medieval sculptures and archaeological objects, including oshebtis and Egyptian bronzes.

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