Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

In 1934, painter Jean Peské gathered a collection of paintings exhibited at the town hall of Collioure. This artistic fund, although promising, gradually fell into oblivion from World War II. Despite plans to relocate, such as the one envisaged in 1967 to the Royal Castle under the leadership of Senator Gaston Pams, no concrete solution was found before the 1980s.

In the 1980s, a collective composed of Willy Mucha, Jean-Jacques Prolongeau and the patron René Pous revived the idea of a dedicated museum. They convince the town hall to install the collections in Villa Pams, acquired in 1981. The museum finally opened on September 20, 1985, in a Mediterranean setting: the villa, surrounded by a 4 hectare park, overlooks the bay of Collioure. Initially fed by donations (works by Balbino Giner, Descossy, Cocteau...), the museum then develops a policy of acquisitions and temporary exhibitions of contemporary art.

The Villa Pams, former property of Senator Gaston Pams, now houses the museum in a remarkable architectural setting. The site includes the Glorieta, an oriental pavilion with stunning sea views. This place, both historical and artistic, illustrates the local commitment to preserving modern heritage and promoting contemporary creation.

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