Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Norman Bocage Museum finds its origins in the collections created by Jacques Monthulé, farmer at Mesnilbus, in the 1940s. Passionate about rural heritage, it brings together nearly 900 objects reflecting local agricultural traditions and techniques. These collections, enriched by their meticulous work, lay the foundation for a future museum dedicated to preserving the collective memory of the Norman bocage.

In 1976, Jacques Monthulé founded with Jean de Saint-Jorre the association La Normandie traditionnel, aimed at safeguarding the agricultural and rural heritage. Thanks to this initiative, about 500 additional pieces join the original collections. The objects gathered by the association, as well as those of Monthulé, are finally transferred to the city of Saint-Lô: the collections of Monthulé are acquired with the help of FRAM (Regional Acquisition Fund for Museums), while those of the association are offered. The museum was established in 1989 in the buildings of the Jugan Wood Farm, an old farm dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Between December 2000 and June 2004, the museum underwent a major renovation to modernize its scenography. Now equipped with a contemporary and interactive approach, it addresses the history and ethnography of Norman bocage, from the 1800s to the present day. Visitors will discover the formation of bocage, the evolution of agricultural practices, as well as the reconstructions of typical spaces such as stables, stables or butter shops. Today, the museum preserves more than 4,000 objects and documents, testifying to the richness of Normandy's rural heritage.

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