Museum of Fine Arts

The Museum of Fine Arts

The Carcassonne audio-guided tour brings you before the Museum of Fine Arts, in the Bastide Saint-Louis. Housed in a fine building facing the Square Gambetta, it gathers works from the 17th century to the present day and forms a cultural stop in the lower town.

A museum born in the 19th century

The museum was created in 1836 by art-loving citizens of Carcassonne, gathered into a Commission of Arts and Sciences tasked with seeking and preserving works and opening a museum. By 1845, they had assembled one hundred and two paintings. At the end of the 19th century, the museum moved into the former presidial, a building that served as a court under the Ancien Regime; its present facade was completed in 1900.

What there is to see

Enriched by state deposits and gifts from local people, the museum today presents works from the 17th century to the present day in eleven rooms, complemented by temporary exhibitions. Facing the museum stands the statue Helena, made in 1902 by the Catalan artist Raymond Sudre, an allegory of the town of Elne. It is advisable to check the current exhibition before visiting.

Practical information

The Museum of Fine Arts is in the Bastide Saint-Louis, facing the Square Gambetta. Opening times vary with the season and the days; it is best to check them before visiting. Admission is generally free, but it is useful to check on the current temporary exhibitions.

What does the Museum of Fine Arts hold ?

It presents works ranging from the 17th century to the present day, spread across eleven rooms, as well as temporary exhibitions.

Where is the Museum of Fine Arts ?

It is in the Bastide Saint-Louis, facing the Square Gambetta, in the former presidial.