Musée Louis-Vouland

About the museum

The Musée Louis-Vouland was founded in 1982 by the Fondation Louis Vouland, recognised as being of public utility in 1977. It fulfils the wish of Louis Vouland (1883–1973), an Avignon food industrialist and collector, who wanted his house and collections to be open to the public.

The museum occupies a late 19th-century mansion built on the site of a former Dominican convent, near the Rhône. Its drawing rooms on the ground floor and more intimate rooms upstairs form an “ambient museum” (musée d'ambiance), where paintings and drawings sit alongside decorative arts. In 2006, contemporary spaces were fitted out to host temporary exhibitions.

The collections include hallmarked 18th-century furniture, faience from Moustiers, Lyon and Marseille, porcelain from Sèvres, Meissen and China, tapestries, longcase clocks and Chinese objects. There are also paintings by Joseph Vernet and by Provençal artists of the 19th and early 20th centuries, centred on Pierre Grivolas. The garden, facing south and crossed by the Canal de Vaucluse, has been a refuge of the Ligue pour la protection des oiseaux (LPO) since 2021.

Highlights

• Hallmarked furniture and faience of the 17th and 18th centuries
• Porcelain from Sèvres, Meissen and China
• Tapestries from Flanders, the Gobelins and Aubusson
• Paintings by Joseph Vernet and the Avignon school
• Garden as an LPO refuge

Permanent exhibition

• Collection permanente : arts décoratifs et peintures – Furniture, faience, porcelain, tapestries and clocks of the 17th and 18th centuries, with paintings by Joseph Vernet and Provençal artists.

Founded

1982

Operated by

Fondation Louis Vouland

Admission & discounts

The ticket gives access to the collections, the temporary exhibition and the garden. Free admission for children under 12, members of the Friends of the Museum and of ICOM, staff of Avignon museums and tourist offices, tour guides and journalists. The museum accepts the Pass Culture and the Avignon Citypass (24 hours: €24, 48 hours: €32). Mediation booklets (murder party, short routes) are offered on a voluntary contribution basis.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• 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 states that it is not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

A play trail for children (“Chercher la petite bête !”) is available, with a booklet to request at reception. A murder party (“La pendule s'est arrêtée”) is offered from age 13. The Pass Culture is accepted for young people.

Getting there & parking

The entrance to the museum is through the ramparts, at the Porte Saint-Dominique.

Amenities & dining

Garden open to visitors, LPO refuge. The museum holds the Accueil Vélo label, with bicycle parking at the entrance and in the garden.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit