Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Musée du Septennat, labeled "Musée de France", was created in 1986 in Château-Chinon (Nièvre) to house the gifts received by François Mitterrand during his two septennats (1981-1995). Set in the former 18th-century St. Clair convent, it gathers objects offered by heads of state, institutions or individuals, reflecting art crafts from around the world. After 1988, an expansion made it possible to expose the gifts of the second mandate, while retaining the singular name "Musée du Septennat".

François Mitterrand, deputy for Nièvre from 1946 and mayor of Château-Chinon from 1959 to 1981, expressed his attachment to this territory, stating in 1995: "The Nièvre is the land of my life". The museum illustrates this link, complemented by the nearby François-Mitterrand space. The collections include ceramics, tapestries, furniture or paintings, as well as photographs of official travel. Two other Nivernais sites retain donations from the president: the Jean-Jaurès de Nevers media library (22,000 books) and the Romain Rolland de Clamecy museum (art works).

Closed since September 2019 for modernization, the museum must reopen in 2025 within a "City of Presents", merging its collections with those of the Museum of Costume. This project, delayed by mould problems, aims to create a unified cultural hub. The historic building, a former 18th century convent, and its extension from the 1980s symbolize Mitterrand's political and cultural heritage in Burgundy-Franche-Comté.

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