Musée Joseph-Denais

About the museum

Joseph Denais (1851–1916) was born in Beaufort into a modest family of craftsmen. He became a notary's clerk, then a tutor at the Prytanée military school in La Flèche, and finally a journalist in Paris, where he served as general secretary of the Association of Parisian Journalists. On his travels to congresses abroad, he brought back many objects.

In 1894 he gave his collection to the municipality of Beaufort on condition that it open a museum to the public. He served as its curator until his death and continued to enrich the holdings. Residents of Beaufort, artists and Parisian personalities made donations, among them Baron Alphonse de Rothschild and Émile Guimet. The museum also receives long-term loans from the Cluny and Guimet museums and from the Manufacture de Sèvres.

The museum retains the spirit of a cabinet of curiosities. It brings together more than 9,000 objects in a route of seven rooms, including Joseph Denais's gallery of travels. Natural sciences (mineralogy, palaeontology, ornithology, zoology), 19th-century fine arts, Mediterranean archaeology, the history of Beaufort and local and foreign ethnography are all represented.

Notable pieces include Egyptian mummies and funerary objects donated by Émile Guimet, a sculpture by Camille Claudel, dinosaur fossils, Neolithic bracelets found at the Boulerot and ancient ceramics. The museum holds the “Musée de France” label.

Highlights

• Egyptian mummies and funerary objects
• Sculpture by Camille Claudel
• Dinosaur fossils
• Neolithic bracelets from the Boulerot
• Ancient Greek, Italian and Far Eastern ceramics
• Joseph Denais's gallery of travels

Permanent exhibition

• Collections permanentes : cabinet de curiosités – A tour of seven rooms with more than 9,000 objects: natural sciences, fine arts, archaeology, ethnography and local history.

Admission & discounts

The ticket gives access to the permanent collections and the current exhibition. Admission is also free for teachers and museum professionals (ICOM card).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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 has automatic doors and a lift serving the first floor and the second-floor permanent exhibition; the main staircase has four flights with handrails. Benches are placed at the reception and in four of the seven rooms, walking-stick seats can be lent on request, and an induction loop is available at reception on request.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Baby changing facilities

Family workshops and activities during school holidays (for example a drawing workshop for 7- to 12-year-olds and an activity for 3- to 6-year-olds), as well as a Halloween game in the autumn.

Getting there & parking

By car, the museum is about 5 minutes from exit 1 of the A85. By bicycle it is about 20 minutes from the loop between the Loire and the Marais d'Authion, and 40 minutes from the Loire à Vélo.

Amenities & dining

Accessible toilets with baby changing table.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit