Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tours, Tours, France

The Musée des beaux-arts de Tours (Museum of Fine Arts of Tours) is located in the bishop's former palace, near the cathedral St. Gatien, where it has been since 1910. It displays rich and varied collections, including that of painting which is one of the first in France both in quality and the diversity of the works presented.

In the courtyard, there is a magnificent cedar of Lebanon and and a stuffed elephant in a building in front of the museum. This elephant was killed because of a bout of madness during a circus parade by the "Barnum & Bailey" circus in the streets of Tours on 10 June 1902.

The museum has over 12,000 works but only 1,000 are on show to the public. On the ground floor, the museum has a room especially dedicated to Tours art of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The museum was classified as a monument historique on 27 June 1983.

References:

Wikipedia

Museums in France

User Reviews

Bengt Forsberg (10 months ago)
If you would like to visit this museum you nearly have to speak French (more or less fluently). No information is in English. And the staff only speak French. There are quit a lot of known artists shown here but not the their best work. But the real problem is the staff attitude. They are really rude and it seems like their main goal is to prevent people from going back to see a painting one more time. If you do that mistake, they are going to flex some muscles (and scream rapidly in French). The garden outside (and especially the Lebanon Cedar tree) is beautiful. It is free & without guards yelling at you and telling you which direction you can go.

Rob van Hees (11 months ago)
The museum “Musée des beaux-arts de Tours” is a hidden gem in the town of Tours. It is located in the former bishop's palace, near St. Gatien cathedral. The collection is small but interesting.

Brian Thome (3 years ago)
Ok. A few good pieces. Information in French only (not a huge problem). Nothing to go out of your way for but if in town it is worth about 90 minutes. 6 euros seems about right.

Kathryn Tayler (3 years ago)
Beautiful gardens - no time to go inside. Only in Tours for a brief visit.

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