Musée agathois Jules-Baudou
Municipal museum in a Renaissance town house in the centre of Agde, devoted to local history, seafarers, costumes and the arts.
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About the museum
The museum was founded in 1935 at the initiative of the Escolo daù Sarret, a learned society created in 1932 to study and preserve the history of Agde, with Jules Baudou as its first curator. It is set in the heart of the historic centre, in a Renaissance town house where Bishop Louis Fouquet had established a charitable institution in the 17th century. It has held the “Musée de France” label since 2002.
The route covers three floors and twenty-seven rooms, which were redone in 2011 and 2012. It tells the story of the river and seaport town of Agde, from the volcanoes that shaped the site to the period of the bishopric, and evokes everyday life in the early modern era. The Musée de l’Éphèbe is devoted to underwater archaeology, while the Musée agathois focuses on traditions, the maritime world and wine.
The collections include ship models, paintings and ex-voto offerings by seafarers, reconstructed interiors, costumes, lace and the lace headdresses called sarrets, still worn today at traditional festivals by the Belles Agathoises. A fine arts section mainly displays paintings by the Azéma brothers, natives of Agde, and there is also Art Nouveau furniture and a reconstructed hospital pharmacy.
Highlights
- History of Agde, from the volcanoes to the bishopric, across three floors and twenty-seven rooms
- Seafarers’ rooms: ship models, paintings, ex-voto offerings and navigation instruments
- Lace headdresses (sarrets), costumes and jewellery of the Belles Agathoises
- Paintings by the Azéma family, artists born in Agde
- Art Nouveau furniture and a reconstructed hospital pharmacy
Permanent exhibitions
- Histoire d'Agde, du volcan à l'évêché – Route over three floors, from the volcanic origins of the site to the episcopal city, via the Greek town and the early Middle Ages.
- Agde : des gens de mer – Models, reconstructions and paintings evoke the commercial and fishing port, as well as maritime and wine-growing activities.
- Belles Agathoises – Lace headdresses, costumes and accessories of the women of Agde, displayed in cases and in reconstructions of everyday life.
- Founded
- 1935
- Operated by
- Ville d'Agde
- Visitors per year
- approx. 6,046
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4Seniors, students and job seekers |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission from age 0 to 17. |
| Seniors | €4Reduced rate for seniors. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree admission for people with disabilities. |
| Students & apprentices | €4Reduced rate for students. |
Free admission: First Sunday of every month, all year round
Activities at the Agde museums are free unless stated otherwise: only admission to the museum is charged.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is not fully accessible to people with reduced mobility, whether temporary or permanent. It is advisable to contact the team to prepare the visit.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
During school holidays, the museum offers painting workshops for children, for example at Easter 2026: €6 per child and €4 per accompanying adult.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
