Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hebre de Saint-Clément Museum was founded in 1860 by Eugène Roy-Bry, then MNA Rochefort. His collections come from several prestigious sources: the Greek and Etruscan objects of the Campana collection, the donations of the Lesson brothers (naturalists who accompanied Dumont d'Urville during his 1822 expedition), and paintings offered by Mr. Fiocchi. These ensembles cover fields as varied as archaeology, fine arts, ethnology and natural sciences, with particular attention to African and oceanic civilizations.

The building itself is a former 18th century mansion, completely renovated between 2003 and 2006 by architect Pierre-Louis Faloci, winner of the Grand Prix d'architecture in 2018. The museum is labeled Musée de France and is distinguished by its unique collections, such as the African masks and totems of the Lesson brothers, the oceanic pieces of the Marquises Islands, and the works of the 17th century Italian and French schools. Its archaeological background also includes Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiques from the Campana collection.

The topics covered are broad: foreign antiques, painting, ethnology (habitat, trades, religious practices), and local history. The museum is thus a place for the conservation and valorisation of both European and extra-European heritage, while offering a remarkable architectural setting, a witness to the urban history of Rochefort.

External links