Bonnat-Helleu Museum

The Bonnat-Helleu Museum

A cultural stop on the Bayonne audio-guided tour, the Bonnat-Helleu Museum, the city's fine arts museum, occupies an early twentieth-century building constructed specially to house it. It holds paintings, drawings, sculptures, art objects and archaeology.

The legacy of Leon Bonnat

The museum owes its existence to the gift of the Bayonne painter Leon Bonnat, who bequeathed his large collection of artworks to the city. Enriched over time by gifts from other artists, the collections now number nearly seven thousand works, some by the greatest European masters: Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Goya or Rembrandt.

What to see

The building, the work of the architect Charles Planckaert, owes its second name to the painter and engraver Paul Helleu, much of whose work the museum holds. An exceptional collection for art lovers, in the heart of Bayonne.

Practical information

The Bonnat-Helleu Museum is in the centre of Bayonne. Opening days, hours and prices should be checked depending on the season with the institution, which may be closed for works.

How was the Bonnat-Helleu Museum born ?

Thanks to the gift of the Bayonne painter Leon Bonnat, who bequeathed his collection of artworks to the city.

What great masters are exhibited there ?

Works by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Goya or Rembrandt, among nearly seven thousand pieces.