Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Maur Museum came into being in 1920, when Senator Maujan's widow offered the city a collection of sculptures, initially stored in the Rabelais tower of the Abbey. In 1927, the Société Le Vieux-Saint-Maur created a local museum in La Varenne, presenting this stone fund. As early as 1929, Mayor Auguste Marin set out to make it a museum of fine arts by adding paintings and sculptures, supplemented in 1933 by archaeological and graphic collections donated by the historical society. The museum officially opened in 1934, enriching throughout the 20th century with donations and acquisitions.

The Medici villa, now home to the museum since 1983, is a 17th century property whose history is marked by confusion with Catherine de Medici. Although her name appeared for the first time in 1854 in an act of sale evoking a connection with Queen Marie de Medici, no source confirmed this stay. The villa, left abandoned in the late 19th century, was saved in the 1970s. Today it houses various collections, including works by Calder, Picasso, or Giacometti, as well as ensembles dedicated to local artists such as François Black or Édouard Cazaux.

In 2018, the management of the museum was transferred to the Paris Est Marne & Bois territory. The building itself has an architectural interest, with a 17th century wrought iron staircase and a history combining local legends and artistic heritage. The accuracy of its location, however, remains approximate, with historical addresses scattered between La Varenne-Saint-Hilaire and Saint-Maur-des-Fossés.

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