MUSEE DES BEAUX-ARTS ET SON JARDIN

Monument

The Museum of Fine Arts in Tours is housed in the former Palais des Archevêques and showcases an incredible collection: Italian Primitives including two famous panels by Mantegna, paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and a fantastic group of reception pieces submitted to the French Royal Painting Academy. Pieces by Boucher, Perronneau and Nattier stand next to fabulous furniture oozing 18th century pomp in the reception rooms. Delacroix, Degas, Monet, Rodin and Ziem reflect the 19th century. The 20th century collection features work by Calder, Ernst, Hantaï, Monory and Debré. Bring your family to the Fun Museum one Sunday a month. Free entry the first Sunday of the month.

Gardens

The staggering cedar tree at the museum entrance is over 200 years old and towers over the courtyard where the Fritz elephant greets visitors and was built on Place Nicolas Frumeaud in 1903. Venture a little further to the “French-style” garden which was redesigned in 1911 around a group of rectangular yew trees with two carpet bedding schemes. A lawn that was once used to play boules covers the centre. The English-style bottom of the garden features climbing roses and a variety of trees such as hackberry, bramble, chestnut, lime and hornbeam trees.

Museum

The former Palais des Archevêques in Tours (4th-18th century) is now the Museum of Fine Arts and one of the top attractions in the Loire Valley. The remarkable museum has one of the biggest collections of Italian Primitives in France and its masterpieces include two famous panels by Mantegna, paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and a fantastic group of reception pieces submitted to the French Royal Painting Academy. Pieces by Boucher, Perronneau and Nattier stand next to fabulous furniture oozing 18th century pomp in the reception rooms. Delacroix, Degas, Monet, Rodin and Ziem reflect the 19th century. The 20th century collection features work by Calder, Ernst, Hantaï, Monory and Debré.