Musée des beaux-arts Denys-Puech
Fine arts museum in Rodez, focused on sculpture since the mid-19th century and built around the collection of Denys Puech, with free admission.
No sound? Check your device’s silent switch.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The sculptor Denys Puech, from Aveyron, proposed in 1903 to create a place in Rodez devoted to the art of his département. He gave the town a large body of sculptures and drawings, then persuaded his friends, the Orientalist painter Maurice Bompard and the printmaker Eugène Viala, to donate works too. The museum opened in 1910.
The building was designed by the architect André Boyer in agreement with Puech. Large windows light the ground floor, which was planned for sculpture, and a monumental staircase leads up to the first floor, originally intended for paintings. The museum was renovated and extended in the 1980s; on that occasion François Morellet installed the work “Cercle et carré” on the two gables. In 2005 the artist Aurèle placed six yellow bronze dogs on the brackets of the façade.
Initially a museum devoted to Puech’s academic legacy, the institution opened up to contemporary creation. It holds above all sculpture from the mid-19th century to the present day, and places older and recent works in dialogue. The ground floor remains devoted to collections linked to Denys Puech, while the basement and the second floor alternate temporary exhibitions with presentations of the modern and contemporary collections.
Highlights
- Sculptures and drawings by Denys Puech
- Works by Maurice Bompard and Eugène Viala
- “Cercle et carré” by François Morellet on the gables
- Aurèle’s six yellow bronze dogs on the façade
- Free admission
Permanent exhibitions
- Collections liées à Denys Puech – On the ground floor, sculptures and drawings by Denys Puech, with works by his friends Maurice Bompard and Eugène Viala.
- Collections modernes et contemporaines – In the basement and on the second floor, a presentation of the museum’s collections alternates with temporary exhibitions.
- Founded
- 1910
- Operated by
- Rodez agglomération
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Adults | free |
|---|---|
| Reduced | free |
| Children & teens | free |
| Groups | –School groups pay €1 per pupil for a one-hour visit and €2 per pupil for a two-hour visit with a workshop. |
Admission to the museum is free for everyone. Workshops are booked online through the Rodez Tourisme ticketing platform.
Accessibility
- 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 listed as fully accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.
Kids & families
Family workshops for young audiences are held on certain dates, with online ticketing.
Getting there & parking
The museum is on Place Georges-Clémenceau in Rodez.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Bookshop specialising in modern and contemporary art (art books, monographs, exhibition catalogues) and a shop with postcards, souvenirs and children’s books, open during museum hours. An online shop is also available.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | A free visit booklet allows independent exploration. Guided tours with a guide-lecturer are offered, including a general tour of 20th- and 21st-century art and tours of the temporary exhibitions. For classes, from primary school to lycée, and for after-school activities: one-hour visits or two-hour visits with a workshop; groups can contact the museum to develop a project. |
