Musée de Royan

At the heart of the history of a seaside town,

The building is located in the old Pontaillac market in the heart of a historic district of Royan.

The Museum proposes to retrace the history of Royan through this common thread according to the following themes:

– From the origins to the Empire:
The origins of Royan, between Gironde and Ocean, from the first human occupations, the emergence of a city from Antiquity, the siege of Royan in 1622 and its first destruction during the Wars of Religion until the Revolution.

– Estuary: dangers and guardian angels
The Cordouan Lighthouse, candidate for UNESCO world heritage, the oldest lighthouse in France still in operation, the main stages of its construction, its saving, prestigious, strategic and tourist role.
The story of the Gironde pilots, a social elite guiding ships through the dangers of the estuary.

- Sea baths:
The development of seaside tourism in the 19th century. The birth of the seaside resort from its fishing port, the emergence of Royan, “Pearl of the Ocean” which extends from Pontaillac to the Park. Posters, souvenir items and period photographs bear witness to the city's influence.

– Pablo Picasso’s stay in Royan
From 1939 to 1940, around the reproduction of the Café in Royan, presentation of the artist's environment, during the war and the beginnings of the German Occupation.

– The Second World War in Royan
The war years, the Occupation, the Resistance, the “Royan Pocket”, the tragic bombings of 1945 and the Liberation.

– The modern city
The resort at its peak: the dolce vita of the Trente Glorieuses. The birth of the International Contemporary Art Festival and the emergence of a group of regional artists “Expo 5”.

-Behind the scenes of the Museum
At the origin of the collections, the Cabinet of Curiosities and the history of the Royan Museum.
Series of rare, unusual or exotic objects…

The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions presented in the central hall of the Museum.

From 01/01 to 30/06/2024.
Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Exceptional closures on January 1 and May 1.
Open Wednesday to Friday from 14 p.m. to 18 p.m.
Open Saturday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 14 p.m. to 18 p.m.

From 01/07 to 31/08/2024.
Closed on Mondays.
Open every day from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 14:30 p.m. to 18:30 p.m.

From 01/09 to 31/12/2024.
Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Exceptional closure on December 25.
Open Wednesday to Friday from 14 p.m. to 18 p.m.
Open Saturday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 14 p.m. to 18 p.m.