Construction of the convent XVIIe siècle (≈ 1750)
Former Recollet convent housing the museum.
1977
Legacy of collections
Legacy of collections 1977 (≈ 1977)
Raymond Pillon left his collections in Chaumont-en-Vexin.
1993
Open to the public
Open to the public 1993 (≈ 1993)
Inauguration of the exhibition in the town hall.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Raymond Pillon - Collector and donor
Bequeathed his collections to the museum.
Origin and history
The Musée Pillon originated from Raymond Pillon's legacy, which in 1977 offered its collections to the commune of Chaumont-en-Vexin. These objects, considered representative of the local heritage, were highlighted in 1993 and exhibited in the Heritage Hall of the Town Hall. The collections cover various fields: archaeology, paleontology, prehistory and natural sciences, illustrating the geological and human history of the region.
Paleontology occupies a central place with more than 1,000 fossils, witnesses of the warm seas that covered the Vexin between -80 and -35 million years. Shellfish, sea urchins, corals and shark teeth, often from sites that are now extinct, are presented. The prehistory, rich in hundreds of lithic tools (haches, scrapers, piercings), offers a dive into the daily life of the first inhabitants, supplemented by frescoes retracing human evolution.
The museum is also enriched by re-enactments of seals of the local nobility, models of monuments and old plans of the city. These additions, combined with Raymond Pillon's drawings, reinforce his pedagogical character. Located in a former 17th-century Recollet convent, the museum enjoys a historical setting, while highlighting local discoveries that are often unknown.
