Musée du Colombier
Alès’s first museum, housed in the Château du Colombier, with collections of fine arts, archaeology and mineralogy.
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About the museum
The Musée du Colombier is the first museum in the town of Alès. It was founded in 1889 on the initiative of mayor Émile Espérandieu, initially under the name “Musée des Beaux-Arts et d’archéologie” in the former boys’ school. The collections later moved several times, including to the Fort Vauban in 1938, before being transferred to the Château du Colombier in 1967.
The château, its farm and its dovecote were built under Louis XIII by the Rocheblave family. The town of Alès bought the estate in 1951 to create a green space. The château, fitted out with the help of the Direction des Musées de France, opened as a museum on September 30, 1967. It has 28 rooms, with about 400 m² of exhibition space.
The collections are organized around fine arts, archaeology and mineralogy. The fine arts holdings have been enriched by donations, notably from Armand Berthe and Florence Marinot, paintings by the Belgian artist Frans Masereel, ceramics by Jean Mayodon, furniture and art objects donated by Gilly Laval, and figurative sculptures donated by Marcel Mérignargues. The public park surrounding the museum also includes the Jardin Andréas Dalh.
Highlights
- Collections of fine arts, archaeology and mineralogy
- Paintings by Frans Masereel and ceramics by Jean Mayodon
- Donations from Berthe, Marinot, Gilly Laval and Mérignargues
- 17th-century château in a public park
Permanent exhibition
- Collections permanentes : beaux-arts, archéologie, minéralogie – Paintings, sculptures, ceramics, furniture, archaeological objects and minerals displayed in the Château du Colombier.
- Founded
- 1889
- Operated by
- Alès Agglomération
Admission & discounts
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free for visitors under 18. |
|---|---|
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free for people with disabilities and their companion. |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree for students. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €4 per personReduced rate for temporary exhibitions for groups of 10 or more; permanent collections free. Guided tour of 1 hour: €50; 1 hour 30 minutes: €70. |
| Temporary exhibition, full price | €7 |
| Temporary exhibition, half price | €4Teachers, groups of more than 10 people, members of certain associations and of the COS d’Alès Agglomération, and visitors of the two other museums with a full-price ticket less than 3 days old. |
| Individual guided tour | €2By reservation. |
| Individual annual pass | €19Unlimited visits to the 3 museums of Alès Agglomération. |
Free admission: First Sunday of the month, Heritage Days and Museum Night.
The permanent exhibition is free; the rates below apply to temporary exhibitions. Free for visitors under 18, school groups and students, recipients of social minimum benefits (minima sociaux), people with disabilities and their companion, journalists, members of the museum’s friends association, and holders of ICOM, ICOMOS, Maison des Artistes or Ministry of Culture “Carte Culture” cards. Payment by bank card, cash or check.
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 booklets at reception. Workshops for young visitors combined with a playful tour during school holidays.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
5 minutes’ walk from the train station and the town center.
By car
Parking available
Parking lot with about 20 spaces.
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 | Individual guided tour for €2, by reservation. Adult groups of 10 or more: self-guided visits or guided tours by reservation at 04 66 86 30 40 (group reception Monday to Friday, 09:00–12:00 and 14:00–17:00). |
