If you want some bargain days out – in other words, free entertainment – Avignon’s 5 free museums will fit the bill perfectly. Even better, they are all easily accessible if you are walking around the city centre.
Avignon’s 5 Free Museums
Here are the city of Avignon’s 5 free museums, in no particular order:
The Calvet Museum
This is a fine arts museum, and the largest in Avignon. The Calvet Foundation’s vast collections are housed in the splendid former residence of a bishop. You’ll find paintings, sculpture, furniture, porcelain and archaeological specimens. Fascinating!
Visit the Musée Calvet Website (mostly in French)
Address: 65 rue Joseph Vernet, Avignon
The Requien Museum
If you are interested in Natural History, you will enjoy the museum’s collections – animal, vegetable and mineral – from the prehistoric and the contemporary world. The Calvet Foundation has made possible a permanent exhibition and various temporary displays. It also has a Library and film resources.
Visit the Musée & Bibliothèque Requien Website (mainly in French)
Address: 67 rue Joseph Vernet, Avignon
The Lapidary Museum
The Lapidary Museum is another of the Calvet Foundation’s museums. It houses a fine archaeological collection that includes art, sculpture and other antiquities. Thee’s lots to see and learn about the ancient Greek, Etruscan, Roman, Gallic and early Christian periods. It is a very well laid out museum that makes excellent use of the large spaces in a former chapel of the Jesuit Order.
Visit the Musée Lapidaire Website (mainly in French)
Address: 27, rue de la République, Avignon
The Petit Palais Museum
You’ll find here a collection of religious, and largely Renaissance paintings and sculpture – both French and Italian. The Petit Palais is adjacent to the Palais des Papes, and was built about 1320. It has been used as a fortress, an Archbishop’s Palace, and even a school. After renovations, it became an art museum in 1976. The beautiful building alone is worth a visit, and the collections are magnificent.
Visit the Musée du Petit Palais Website (mainly in French)
Address: Place du Palais, Avignon
The Roure Palace
Not far from the main street is the Palais du Roure, a beautiful example of a Provencale town house. It was built in 1469 and was once the private home of Falco de Baroncelli and his descendants. Now it is a museum that has fine examples of decoration, art and furniture of the period. It is also an archaeological, arts and cultural centre. Entry is via an enclosed cobbled courtyard where there are often sales of souvenirs, books and prints.
Address: 3 rue College du Roure, Avignon
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