Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Museum of Art and Archaeology of Guéret, also known as the Museum of the Senate, is a municipal museum labeled "Musée de France". Created in 1837 by the Society of Natural and Archaeological Sciences of Creuse, it first moved to the former palace of the presidial, which became a city hall. The collections, initially focused on natural history, are enriched by the gifts of learned society, leading to a need for larger space.

In 1905, the city of Guéret acquired an 18th-century mansion, formerly the residence of the Limousin senators under Napoleon I, nicknamed "hotel of the Senate". After major works led by architect Germain Sauvanet, the museum was transferred to the museum in 1911 and inaugurated by René Viviani, then Minister of Transport. This building, built by Pierre Sylvain Tournyol du Clos, had also housed a convent before becoming municipal property.

The museum temporarily closes for expansion and modernization, including the construction of a new cube-shaped building by the Basalt Architecture studio. His collections, of 17,000 works, cover a variety of fields: natural sciences, paintings (including works by the school of Crozant), sculptures (Rodin, Carpeaux), limousine goldsmithy, and Asian arts. The museum regularly organizes exhibitions combining contemporary art and heritage.

The museum's history is marked by Creusian donors who had a career outside the department, as well as acquisitions such as an Asian art collection in the 1980s. His flagship pieces include enamels from Limoges, Gallo-Roman statues like Cernunnos, and Chinese ceramics. Despite delays, its reopening is planned after the renovation of the historic building and the creation of reserves at current standards.

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