Musée Quesnel-Morinière

About the museum

The museum occupies a 17th- and 18th-century mansion near the Jardin des Plantes, the town hall and the cathedral. Its owner, Jean-Jacques Quesnel, bequeathed the house to the town of Coutances. The municipality decided to create a museum in 1868, and it opened to the public in 1874. The bombings of 1944 destroyed part of the holdings, in particular weapons and coins.

The collections come from gifts from the Société académique du Cotentin, state deposits and numerous bequests. The first curator, Léon Quesnel, enriched them until his death in 1896. For about half a century, other major gifts have arrived: paintings and drawings, works by the local movement “Le pou qui grimpe”, prints of the cathedral, sculptures from the Ernest-Hulin donation and Normandy ceramics from Dr. Stephen-Chauvet.

Highlights

• Sculptures by Ernest Hulin in the large 19th-century gallery
• 18th-century salon with wood paneling and painted decoration
• French, Italian and Flemish paintings of the 17th century
• Print room (about 1,500 prints and drawings in storage)
• Normandy ceramics from the Stephen-Chauvet collection
• Works by the local movement “Le pou qui grimpe”

Permanent exhibition

• Collections permanentes – Seven galleries present paintings, sculptures, prints, Normandy ceramics and archaeological objects, from the 17th century to contemporary art.

Founded

1874

Operated by

Ville de Coutances

Visitors per year

approx. 10,954

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to the museum is free of charge.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

During school holidays, art workshops for children take place on some Wednesdays at 16:00 (2026 programme). The current exhibition includes a children’s area labeled Mom’Art.

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