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Key figures

Origin and history

The palace of Berbia, built in the 13th century as a fortress of the bishops of Albi, dominates the city with its red brick walls, typical of Albige architecture. It was transformed into an episcopal residence until 1905 and became the property of the department after the law of separation of churches and the state. This change of status allows its redevelopment into a museum, marking a transition from a place of religious power to a major cultural space.

The creation of the Toulouse-Lautrec museum was initiated by the exceptional donation of Adèle de Toulouse-Lautrec, the artist's mother, in 1901. After the refusal of the Parisian museums, she offers to the city of Albi the works of her son, born in the region. The project, delayed by the First World War, led to the opening of the first rooms in 1922, in the presence of Maurice Joyant, friend of Lautrec, and Dr Tapié de Céleyran, cousin and family advisor. The museum thus enriches more than a thousand pieces: paintings, posters, lithographs and drawings, covering the entire career of the artist, from his first equestrian compositions to his emblematic scenes of Montmartre.

The palace also houses various collections, including ancient and modern works of art. Among the treasures exhibited are two paintings by Georges de La Tour, Italian and French paintings from the 17th to 18th centuries (such as those by Francesco Guardi or Jean-Baptiste Corot), and a section dedicated to the contemporaries of Lautrec, such as Degas, Bonnard or Rodin. These ensembles reflect both the local artistic heritage and the major currents of European art, from the Renaissance to the inter-war period.

A recent partnership, signed in 2024 with the Goya Museum in Castres, illustrates the cultural dynamics of the museum. It lends works for temporary exhibitions, strengthening links between regional institutions. After a major restructuring between 2001 and 2012, the museum reopens in 2012 with a modernized museumography, attracting nearly 175,000 annual visitors. Its success makes it one of the most visited sites in Occitanie, combining architectural heritage and artistic influence.

The Palace of Berbie, ranked among the best preserved episcopal ensembles in France, symbolizes both medieval ecclesiastical power and Albige cultural vitality. Its integration into the historic centre, alongside the Cathedral of St. Cécile, makes it an essential place to understand the urban and artistic evolution of Albi, from medieval origins to modernity.

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