Hyacinthe Rigaud Art Museum

If you have a passion for fine art, there’s no better place in Perpignan to satisfy your curiosity. The Hyacinthe Rigaud Art Museum is one of the most visited and important cultural sites in the Occitanie region. For over 200 years, it has embodied the cultural development of the Catalan city of Perpignan. It all began in 1820, when the prefect of the Pyrénées-Orientales put together the museum’s very first collection. It was made up of paintings loaned by major regional collectors, along with a handful of acquisitions. In 1833, the museum opened to the public for the first time, inside the abandoned buildings of Perpignan’s former university. Soon after, the collection grew thanks to state contributions, driven by the efforts of journalist Jules Escaguel and influential politician Jules Pams — a former minister under Georges Clemenceau who led France during the First World War. Between 1949 and 1953, the museum was moved into the beautiful private mansion once owned by Pams himself — today named after him. Renovated, modernized, and enriched with new works, the museum began to attract national attention. It was even entrusted with the famous Self-Portrait in a Turban by Hyacinthe Rigaud — one more work by the city’s prodigal son, best known as the official portrait artist of the Sun King and his court. With its growing reputation, bold ambitions, and ever-expanding collection, the museum needed more space. In 1979, the city decided to move it into its most recent acquisition — the Hôtel de Lazerme. With donations and bequests pouring in over time, the collection outgrew the available space once again. That’s why in 2017, the museum was not only renovated, but expanded — this time integrating the Hôtel de Mailly into its visitor circuit. This recent transformation offers a rich overview of Perpignan’s artistic history, from the 15th to the 20th century. The collection is organized into three main themes: Gothic Perpignan, when the city was the capital of the Kingdom of Majorca; Baroque Perpignan, marked by territorial struggles between the French and Aragonese crowns, and Modern Perpignan, shaped by technical advances and global conflicts. Today, across 4,300 square meters of exhibition space, you’ll find masterpieces by artists like Maillol, Monfreid, Ingres, Lurçat, Picasso, and Dufy. Educational and historical, rooted in both Catalan and French culture, the Hyacinthe Rigaud Art Museum is an absolute delight with each new exhibition.