In the heart of Burgundy, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Dijon is one of the oldest in France, dating back to the Ancien Régime. Thanks to the legacy of the Dukes of Burgundy, the museum is home to undisputed masterpieces from the late Middle Ages. Its encyclopaedic collections, which stem from both the founding period of the Revolution and the curiosity of collectors, are an invitation to discover a wide variety of works, from Egyptian art to the 21st century. The museum is housed in the former Hôtel des Ducs de Bourgogne and the eastern part of the Palais des Etats. As such, it is an essential testimony to the art and history of Burgundy from the end of the Middle Ages to the end of the 19th century.
Despite the classical regularity imposed at the end of the 17th century, the diversity of the palace’s buildings, erected from the 14th to the 19th century, bears witness to the building’s centuries-long history : residence of the Dukes of Burgundy, then home to kings and governors, seat of the States, drawing school at the origin of the museum, and finally Dijon town hall.
Dijon’s Musée des Beaux-Arts symbolises the city’s roots, with works representing the region’s artistic creativity, but also its openness to the world, with collections representing five continents. With the renovation of the museum, the 21st century is also taking its place in the palace, with architectural interventions that aptly assert its openness to contemporary life.