Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Melun Museum was opened to the public in 1860, initially installed in the Town Hall of the municipality. Its collections, enriched by donations and acquisitions, cover various fields such as Gallo-Roman and medieval archaeology, with objects from local excavations carried out between 1860 and 1865 on Saint-Étienne Island. These discoveries include common and sigulated pottery, as well as medieval ceramics and a 13th-century gemlion. Two exceptional manuscripts, a Ritual for the Sacrament of the Kings of France (1287) and a Book of 15th Century Hours, complete this historical ensemble.

Since 1966, the museum has been housed in a 17th-century mansion, renovated in the 19th and 20th centuries. His collections are distinguished by a collection dedicated to sculpture, centered on Henri Chapu (1833–91), with more than 1,000 drawings by the sculptor. Regional art is also well represented, with porcelains of Boissettes and earthenware of Rubelles (19th century), as well as paintings from Flemish, Italian, Dutch and French schools. Finally, 300 drawings document local history, including Melun's.

The museum is associated with the Old Hotel de la Vicomté, a historic monument that now houses its exhibitions. Labelled Museum of France, it covers various themes: national archaeology (gallo-Roman and medieval), fine arts (drawing, painting, print), and local history. Its official address, 5 rue du Franc Mûrier in Melun (Seine-et-Marne), makes it a central place for the preservation of the Franciscan heritage.

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