Musée de l'Échevinage de Saintes
Fine arts museum in Saintes, housed in the former town hall, with about a hundred works from the 15th to the 20th century and Sèvres porcelain.
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About the museum
The Musée de l’Échevinage is the fine arts museum of Saintes. It grew out of paintings bequeathed to the town by Senator Count Lemercier. It opened in 1864 in the town hall and moved to its present building in 1967.
The museum occupies the former town hall of Saintes, an 18th-century town mansion topped by a belfry dated 1587. It stands in a protected district close to historic monuments.
The route presents about a hundred works dating from the 15th to the 20th century. Major paintings include the Allegory of Earth by Jan Brueghel dit de Velours, and landscapes by Louis Augustin Auguin, a figure of the regional school of painting. The holdings also include 19th-century movements such as Orientalism, Salon painters and landscapes of Saintonge.
The museum also holds ceramics and an important series of porcelain from the Sèvres manufactory. A space for young visitors brings together portraits of children, including works by Carolus-Duran and Henri Geoffroy. The Musée de l’Échevinage is part of the Musées et arènes de Saintes, which offer a joint ticket.
Highlights
- Allegory of Earth by Jan Brueghel dit de Velours
- Landscapes by Louis Augustin Auguin
- Ceramics and Sèvres porcelain
- Young audiences area with children’s portraits
- Former town hall with a belfry from 1587
Permanent exhibition
- Collection de beaux-arts du XVe au XXe siècle – Paintings, ceramics and Sèvres porcelain, including the Allegory of Earth by Jan Brueghel dit de Velours and works by Louis Augustin Auguin.
- Founded
- 1864
- Operated by
- Ville de Saintes
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4Under-26s, recipients of social minimum benefits and residents of Saintes. |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for under-18s. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · The companion of a person with reduced mobility enters free. |
| Guided tour or workshop | €3Supplement to the entry ticket. |
Free admission: First Sunday of each month.
The ticket is a single pass valid for 7 days for the museums of Saintes and the amphitheatre, with one visit per site. Admission is also free for professionals.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Animals are not admitted, except guide dogs and assistance dogs.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
Free admission for under-18s. A young audiences area displays children’s portraits.
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.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours and workshops are offered at a supplement. Animals are refused, except guide dogs and assistance dogs. |
