Musée d’art et d’archéologie du Périgord (MAAP)
MonumentHidden Treasure
Musée d’art et d’archéologie du Périgord (MAAP), located in Périgueux (Dordogne), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Périgueux, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 45.1858, 0.7236
- Mérimée Reference
- PA24000099
Jewel of Périgord heritage, the MAAP holds one of the richest prehistoric collections in France, bringing together Gallo-Roman archaeology, decorative arts and fine arts in the heart of the ancient Vesunna.
History
The Musée d'Art et d'Archéologie du Périgord is nestled in the heart of Périgueux, a two-thousand-year-old city whose layers of history can be seen at every crossroads. It is one of the most remarkable regional museums in France. Founded in the 19th century in a spirit of encyclopaedic curiosity typical of the great scholarly institutions of the time, it now houses over 60,000 objects spanning a period from the Palaeolithic to modern times, providing a breathtaking panorama of the human presence in Périgord. The prehistoric collection is undoubtedly the most striking: carved flint tools, engraved bones, mammoth ivory ornaments and animal figures bear witness to the creative bubbling of the peoples who populated the Vézère and Dordogne rivers tens of thousands of years before our era. The Périgord region, recognised as the cradle of world cave art, offers an exceptional museum counterpoint to the decorated caves listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Gallo-Roman archaeology rooms reveal the ancient city of Vesunna, capital of the Petrocores, of which Périgueux is the direct heir. Polychrome mosaics, figurative bronzes, coins, sigillated ceramics and lapidary inscriptions recreate the magnificence of a prosperous Roman provincial city, in constant dialogue with the remains still visible in the city - the amphitheatre, the Vesonian tower, the Pompeian domus. The tour then moves on to medieval and Renaissance decorative arts, ethnographic collections and fine arts, including paintings, sculptures and furniture from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The diversity of these collections avoids any monotony, allowing visitors to explore according to their affinities, whether they are specialists or just passing through. The building itself, listed as a Historic Monument since 2020, is an architectural landmark of the highest order. Visiting it is a natural part of a stroll through old Périgueux, between Saint-Front cathedral, Roman remains and Renaissance streets, offering a total cultural experience at the heart of a city that has been a major crossroads of civilisation in the south-west since ancient times.
Architecture
The MAAP building is part of the tradition of French municipal museums built under the Third Republic, marked by a skilful architectural eclecticism that blends neoclassical references, neo-Renaissance elements and the functional sobriety typical of public facilities at the end of the 19th century. The main façade, characterised by its symmetrical composition and the use of local limestone ashlar - the dominant material in Périgord architecture - asserts the institutional dignity of the building while harmonising with the surrounding urban fabric of old Périgueux. The interior layout meets the requirements of museography at the time: vast rooms with high ceilings allowing generous natural lighting through large windows, fluid circulation between the thematic areas, and sufficient volume to accommodate the monumental pieces - mosaics, lapidary stelae, ancient architectural elements. The old-fashioned floors and the mouldings on the door frames contribute to the unique atmosphere of the space, where the container and the contents interact in a spirit of historical continuity. Contemporary alterations have introduced modern scenographic features - illuminated display cases, bilingual labels, audiovisual aids - without altering the soul of the building. Registration as a Historic Monument in 2020 now guarantees the preservation of this architectural integrity, recognising the building itself as a witness in its own right to the cultural and institutional history of Périgueux.
Related Figures
Wenceslas Borely — premier conservateur engagé dans la structuration des collections au XIXe siècleFélix Jouannet — érudit périgourdin et précurseur de l'archéologie régionale, contributeur fondateur des collectionsGabriel de Mortillet — préhistorien français dont les travaux influencèrent la constitution des fonds paléolithiques périgourdinsÉmile Cartailhac — archéologue spécialiste de la préhistoire ayant contribué à la valorisation scientifique des collections du Sud-OuestDenis Peyrony — archéologue périgourdin majeur, fouilleur de nombreux sites de la vallée de la Vézère, donateur indirect aux collectionsLéon Dessales — érudit et acteur de la Société Historique et Archéologique du Périgord, figure de la sauvegarde patrimoniale locale
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Musée d’art et d’archéologie du Périgord (MAAP) located?
Musée d’art et d’archéologie du Périgord (MAAP) is located in Périgueux, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Musée d’art et d’archéologie du Périgord (MAAP) built?
Musée d’art et d’archéologie du Périgord (MAAP) dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Musée d’art et d’archéologie du Périgord (MAAP) open to visitors?
Musée d’art et d’archéologie du Périgord (MAAP) is currently closed to visitors.