Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Museum of Fine Arts in Reims came into being in 1752, when Antoine Ferrand de Monthelon left his collection to the city. In 1794, the museum was officially founded from revolutionary seizures and installed in the city hall. The collections were enriched in the 19th century by purchases and bequests, such as Henry Vasnier's in 1907, leading to the decision to acquire an autonomous building in 1908.

The former Saint-Denis Abbey, built from the 9th century under Foulques le Venerable, is chosen to host the museum. This site, marked by various uses (seminars, barracks, warehouse), is confiscated after the law of separation of churches and the state in 1906. The museum was transferred and inaugurated in 1913 by President Poincaré, before being damaged during the First World War.

In 2018, a renovation project was launched, entrusted to the Portuguese firm Francisco Aires Mateus. At a cost of EUR 45.3 million, the works include archaeological excavations and a reopening planned for 2025. The museum, closed since 2019, preserves major works from Flemish, Dutch and French schools, while organizing exhibitions outside the walls.

Some parts of Saint-Denis Abbey are protected as historical monuments: the entrance building (classified in 1921) and the facade with its gallery (registered in 1971). These elements bear witness to the abbey architecture of the 18th and 19th centuries, remodeled over the centuries.

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