Maisons des Consuls
The brainchild of Pierre Pannoux, an archaeologist, and Joseph Martin, then mayor of the commune and owner of the building, the museum opened its doors in 1951 in the Maison des Consuls, making it the first prehistory museum in the Hérault region.
The Musée d'arts et d'archéologie, formerly known as the Musée de la Préhistoire des Matelles, is a symbolic site in the Grand Pic Saint-Loup area.
Archaeological research in the Grand Pic Saint-Loup area began in the 1950s. Leading figures in archaeology carried out work there: Henry de Lumley, Jean Arnal, Jean Guilaine, Henri Canet, Pierre Pannoux...
Crossed perspectives, visual artists, public/private collections renewed every year, enter into dialogue with the permanent collection around themes linked to man as a 'player' in his environment.
This unprecedented encounter at the Maison des Consuls between art and our departmental heritage bears witness to a new cultural approach in which past and present come together harmoniously.
Permanent exhibition
The permanent collection at the Maison des Consuls is made up of the results of excavations carried out by archaeologist Pierre Pannoux in the immediate vicinity of Les Matelles, including the Suquet Cocoulières cave, the Roubiac site and the Bois-Martin site.
The Pierre Pannoux Collection
The archaeological collection includes 3,500 individual items (out of a total of 18,000): archaeological furniture (pottery, tools, flints and jewellery) and Palaeolithic animal bones (bear teeth, urus, horse, ibex, reindeer and saiga antelope bones). The collection offers a broad overview of the prehistory of the northern Montpellier garrigue, from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Final Neolithic. The entire collection and the museum's archives can be viewed on a touch screen.
Without forgetting its vocation to preserve the archaeological collection, in a completely redesigned scenography, the Maison des Consuls wishes to open up to other themes, centred on man as a factor of evolution, in interaction with his environment, and his capacity to shape his living space.
Opening times
- In April, May, June, September, October and November :
Wednesday to Sunday and public holidays (except 1st May), 2pm to 6pm - July and August :
daily from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 7 pm
Single ticket
- Halle du Verre / Maison des Consuls combined ticket: €5
- Free for under-18s
Informations pratiques
- To get to the Maison des Consuls by bus: line 608, get off at the "Mairie" stop, 450 m on foot.
- Accessibility: all the museum's exhibition rooms are accessible to people with reduced mobility. (ring the bell at the entrance - 1st door).
A travers un parcours ponctué de créations diverses, vous assisterez, salle après salle à des propositions construites telle une ambition commune et forte : celle du faire soi-même. Il y a une volonté d’expérimenter la matière, appréhender son rapport aux gestes, aux modes de vie, à la mutation au moyen d’outils, techniques, expériences, savoir-faire ou interventions variées.
Artists exhibiting :
- Nicolas DAUBANES
- Lucie LAFLORENTIE
- Clément PHILIPPE
- Maxime SANCHEZ
- Agnès FORNELLS
- Anita MOLINERO
Exhibition curator : Lisa Crespy
To find out more
Temporary exhibition : « Autant que faire se peut »
Maison des Consuls
From 5 April to 26 November 2023, the Maison des Consuls presents the exhibition "Autant que faire se peut", featuring the work of 6 contemporary artists.
As far as possible, that's the name chosen for the new temporary exhibition at the Maison des Consuls. The title sounds like an ounce of hope. In other words, if it's ever possible to do something, then let's do what we can to make it happen! In this exhibition, you'll discover that creation is everywhere, all the time, and that it's all a question of point of view, positioning and outlook. It's through proposals linked to the valorization of matter that the artists will try to bring, to raise, reflections and questionings on this subject.
