Musée des Beaux-Arts de Chartres
Musée des Beaux-Arts in Chartres, housed in the former episcopal palace next to the cathedral, with paintings, sculptures and Oceanian collections.
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About the museum
The museum was founded on May 15, 1833 and opened to the public in 1834. It first occupied a room in the town hall, which was extended by an annex in 1874. In 1939 the collections moved into the former episcopal palace, built mainly in the 17th and 18th centuries under three bishops, next to the cathedral. The building has been a listed historic monument since 1906, and its gardens since 1941.
The departmental council gave the palace and its gardens to the city in 1914 to house a museum, but the move only took place in 1939. Natural history collections left the museum in 1967 and returned in 2015. In 2017 the city bought the building back from the département and reopened the museum on July 1, 2017, with free admission apart from temporary exhibitions.
The collections comprise around 50,000 objects: paintings from the 16th to the 20th century, sculptures, drawings, Oceanian art, decorative arts and archaeology. Highlights include Zurbarán's Sainte Lucie, canvases by Soutine, portraits by Hyacinthe Rigaud, a room devoted to Maurice de Vlaminck and his collection of African art, twelve enamels by Léonard Limosin and the Oceanian collection of Louis-Joseph Bouge. The museum holds the “Musée de France” label.
Highlights
- Sainte Lucie by Zurbarán
- Paintings by Chaïm Soutine in Chartres
- Vlaminck room with African objects from his collection
- Oceanian collection of Louis-Joseph Bouge
- Enamels by Léonard Limosin (1547)
- Former episcopal palace and gardens with views over the lower town
Permanent exhibitions
- Parcours permanent – A chronological route from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, including the Italian-style room, the chapel, the rotunda of sculptures and painting from the Baroque to the avant-gardes.
- Salle Vlaminck – Paintings by Maurice de Vlaminck and African objects from his personal collection.
- Fonds Louis-Joseph Bouge – Treasures from the Oceanian collections bequeathed by Louis-Joseph Bouge.
- Founded
- 1833
- Operated by
- Ville de Chartres
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free for under-18s during temporary exhibitions. |
|---|---|
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free for visitors with disabilities and their companion during temporary exhibitions. |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree for students during temporary exhibitions. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €10 per personGuided group visit: €15 for fewer than 10 people, €10 from 10 people or for a group of people with disabilities. |
| Independent visit during a temporary exhibition | €7Reduced rate of €3.50 for groups of 10 or more. |
| Individual guided tour | €10.20Reduced rate: €6.15 for groups of 10 or more. |
Free admission: First Sunday of the month during temporary exhibitions (except July and August); European Night of Museums, Architecture Days, European Heritage Days and Archaeology Days
Admission free for independent visits to the permanent collection, outside temporary exhibitions. During a temporary exhibition, admission is also free for recipients of the RSA, members of the Amis du Musée, ICOM members, holders of the Carte Culture and the Pass Éducation, tour guides and journalists.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Free activity booklet for ages 6 to 10 and a junior architecture activity booklet, available to download. Creative workshop for ages 6 to 11 devoted to the world of Calder from October 27 to 30, 2026.
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 |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | An adult visit guide can be downloaded from the city's website. The website also has a section on the museum's renovation and another on school visits. |
