The Cordeliers Museum in Saint-Jean-d'Angély, in the Charente-Maritime department, was founded in its current form in 2003.
Until then, a museum called Arthur Bonnet housed in a private mansion had presented the collections of the Municipal Archaeological Society.
The latter and the city of Saint-Jean-d'Angély concluded an agreement in 1997 to create a new museum. This one, installed in the former residence of the sub-prefects (built in the 19th century in Charentes stone on the site of the former Cordeliers convent) is now labeled "Musée de France".
The originality of the establishment's collection is that it is made up of objects brought back during expeditions led by André Citroën in Africa aboard half-tracks. The first took place in 1922 and 1923, the Crossing of the Sahara, and the second in 1924 and 1925, in Central Africa.
In addition to one of the vehicles that carried out the trans-Saharan raid (now classified as an object), the collection includes ethnographic objects collected on site, drawings by the painter-traveler Alexandre Iacovleff, films and photographs made at the 'era.
Also to be seen upstairs are a panorama of the evolution of French furniture styles (regional rustic furniture and Parisian furniture from the 17th to the 19th century) and pieces of decorative arts: French ceramics, porcelain from Far East, tapestry.
Religious and profane statues in polychrome stone and wood, some dating from the 13th century, and a collection of bladed weapons complete the collections.
Workshops and conferences are offered throughout the year, as well as temporary exhibitions.
Open Tuesday to Sunday from mid-June to mid-September and Wednesday to Sunday the rest of the year. Free admission. Information on +33 5 46 25 09 72.
