Musée des Amériques – Auch

About the museum

The city museum of Auch was founded by a decree of the Gers departmental directory in December 1793, which makes it one of the first museums born of the French Revolution. It occupies the former Jacobins convent.

Its Americanist focus began with Guillaume Pujos, a traveler from Auch who brought back about a hundred objects from Latin America in 1896 and 1906. Appointed curator in 1911, he displayed his finest pieces and then bequeathed them to the museum. The collections grew further, notably under Henri Polge, curator from 1948, who expanded the museum’s openness to non-European cultures.

Today the museum holds the largest public collection of pre-Columbian art in France after that of the musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, as well as a renowned ensemble of feather work (plumasserie). It also presents ancient statues, medieval reliefs, Gascon painters and fine arts. It was the first museum in France to receive the Pôle national de référence label for pre-Columbian art and Latin American sacred art.

Highlights

• Second-largest collection of pre-Columbian art in France
• Feather-work collection shown at the musée du quai Branly in 2016
• Ancient statues and medieval reliefs
• Gascon painters and fine arts
• Housed in the former Jacobins convent

Permanent exhibitions

• Collections d'art précolombien et de plumasserie – Objects from the cultures of pre-Columbian America and a feather-work ensemble, drawn from the collection assembled since the early 20th century.
• Antiquité et Moyen Âge – Ancient statues and medieval reliefs displayed in the former Jacobins convent.
• Gascogne et beaux-arts – Gascon painters, sculpture and art of Gascony.

Founded

1793

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Free admission on the first weekend of each month

Admission is also free for job seekers. A visiting slot can be reserved online.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description

An elevator serves all three levels of the museum, and the museum describes itself as accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. A wheelchair and folding seats are lent at reception. Two induction loops connect to the audioguide. Visitors with visual impairments have an audio-described audioguide, a tactile booklet and gloves to touch two works. An adapted activity booklet and an easy-read document are available. Some rooms are dimly lit to protect the works, and others can be noisy at busy times. Disabled parking spaces are located at the exit of the Diderot car park and along the museum; the museum is listed in the Handivisites app.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Baby changing facilities

Downloadable activity booklets for children aged 4, 4 to 6, 7 to 9 and 10 to 12, as well as for teenagers and adults. A teaching case on the theme of animals is lent free of charge to nurseries and preschools. Free admission for under-18s.

Getting there & parking

Drop-off is possible in front of the museum garden entrance, 9 rue Gilbert Brégail.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop. A changing table is installed in the restrooms near reception.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit