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Key figures

Origin and history

The Dobrée Museum, located in the Graslin district of Nantes, has belonged to the Loire-Atlantique department since 1895. It was built between 1862 and 1895 by the shipowner and collector Thomas Dobbrée (1810-1895) as a residence and exhibition space for his collections. The site already included the episcopal mansion of La Touche, erected in the 15th century. At his death in 1895, Dobrée bequeathed the entire department, and the museum opened to the public in 1899, also bringing together the collections of the Archaeological and Historical Society of Nantes.

The architecture of the museum combines neo-roman and neo-medieval styles, originally inspired by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, although Dobrée rejected his plans deemed too neo-gothic. Architects Simon, Boismen, Chenantais and Le Diberder complete the granite and shale building, with a 30-metre tower. In 1972, a brutalist building, the "Voltaire building", was added to house reserves and exhibitions. The museum closed in 2011 for renovation work, reopening in May 2024 after 13 years of closure.

The collections, rich in 135,000 works, come from the bequests of Dobrée, donations from the Archaeological Society, and subsequent acquisitions. They include Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, medieval manuscripts, and regional archaeological exhibits. In 2018, the museum was the victim of a spectacular flight: the crimin of the heart of Anne of Brittany, a golden Hindu statue, and medieval gold coins were stolen, then recovered and returned in the same year.

The initial renovation project, entrusted to Dominique Perrault in 2010 for €47 million, was cancelled in 2014 for legal and urban reasons. A second project, led by architects Jacques Pajot and Marc Iseppi, was adopted in 2017 for €25 million. It provides for the conservation of the three existing buildings, the creation of a mineral court and a central garden, as well as the reorganization of exhibition spaces and reserves.

Thomas Dobrée, passionate about medieval art, prints and ancient books, began his acquisitions in 1832 after an artistic training in Paris. He frequents auctions, like that of the Soltykoff collection, where he acquires major pieces such as the Chassus of Saint Calminius. His legacy to the department also includes archaeological objects, coins, and manuscripts, enriched later by donations and national deposits, such as those of the Louvre.

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