Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Saint-Lô

Over het museum

The museum was founded in 1835 by the Society of Agriculture, Archaeology and Natural History of the Manche, under the name Musée des Beaux-Arts. It was enriched by donations from aristocratic families of the Manche, then moved into a municipal building constructed at the end of the 19th century. In 1940, the art collections were evacuated to escape the war; they were largely saved from the bombings of 1944, while the natural history and numismatic collections were destroyed or stolen.

After a stay in the new town hall in 1958, the museum found its present home in 1989 in a large cultural center designed by architect Eugène Leseney, which also houses a media library and a drawing school. The route imitates a walk through the streets of Saint-Lô, with courtyards, light wells and narrow corridors.

The museum traces the history of the city over more than 2000 years, with a large section devoted to the destruction of 1944 and the reconstruction. Its fine arts holdings include paintings by Corot, Boudin, Moreau and Rigaud, a set of eight 16th- and 17th-century tapestries telling the love story of Gombault and Macée, and contemporary tapestries.

Hoogtepunten

• Torigny marble, Gallo-Roman statue base from 238
• Model of Saint-Lô as bombed in 1944 and interiors of the reconstruction
• Tapestries “Les amours de Gombault et Macée”
• Paintings by Corot, Boudin, Gustave Moreau and Hyacinthe Rigaud
• Saint-Lô coin hoard and portrait of Jean Follain by Maurice Denis
• Touch tables and activity booklets for children

Vaste collectie

• Histoire de Saint-Lô et Reconstruction – City history: Torigny marble, the Saint-Lô treasure, a model of the city as bombed in 1944 and interiors from the reconstruction.
• Beaux-arts – Paintings by Corot, Boudin, Moreau and Rigaud, tapestries of the love story of Gombault and Macée, portraits of the Monaco family and contemporary tapestries.

Opgericht

1835

Beheerder

Ville de Saint-Lô

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Gratis toegang: First Sunday of the month, European Museum Night and European Heritage Days

Prices as of January 1, 2026. Also free for members of the Amis des musées municipaux association, ICOM/ICOMOS members, tour guides, holders of the Culture card, the Museopass, the Kiosk Agglo and Spot 50 cards, journalists, and city and CCAS staff. A pass for 2 museums (the Musée d’art et d’histoire and the Musée du bocage normand) costs €7.50 (€4 reduced).

Toegankelijkheid

• Rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: geen informatie
• Aangepast toilet: geen informatie
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats: geen informatie
• Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The museum is fully accessible to visitors with reduced mobility; a wheelchair and folding seats are lent free of charge. An easy-to-read and easy-to-understand guide in French (FALC) is available at the reception desk.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations
• Verschoonruimte

Touch and play tables along the route, activity booklets and many events; the museum follows the Môm’art charter. Restrooms are equipped with a baby changing table.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

Access via the Place du Champ de Mars in the town center, in the La Source cultural center, which also houses the media library and drawing school.

Service & horeca

• Museumwinkel
• Garderobe

Shop open to all in the reception area (books, souvenirs, postcards). Cloakroom at the reception; the museum accepts no liability for loss or theft. Picnic area and bicycle racks nearby.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Privéfeesten
• Zakelijke evenementen
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

Tot 200 personen.

Rental of rooms covering 1,200 m²: entrance hall (100 people), tapestry rotunda (70), exhibition hall (150 to 200) and workshop or meeting room (25). Caterer of the client’s choice; film shoots possible.

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