The former convent and college des Precheurs in Aix centre ville has been sold for 11.5 million euros to house an extensive collection of Picasso’s works – paintings, ceramics, sculptures – 2,000 in all.
The Musée Jacqueline et Pablo Picasso will be the third museum in France to be dedicated to the artist, after Paris and
Jacqueline and Pablo Picasso
Antibes.
At 4600m2, it will be three-storeys high and, as well as the collection, will include:
- space for temporary exhibitions
- a 200-seat auditorium
- a documentation centre dedicated to the artist
- a pottery workshop for the public.
The objective is to attract 500,000 visitors a year, that’s 1,500 a day ….and that’s where opponents of the scheme are raising objections. The ‘Democratie pour Aix’ group have pointed out that vehicular access will be difficult in this newly-pedestrianised site, with little parking available nearby; that the large market which runs outside three times a week must be considered; and that an underground auditorium could have a destablising effect on neighbouring buildings especially given that they are built on clay.
I hope they can make it work as this historical building is lovely and the collection would be an internationally-significant attraction for the town. It is currently being used as an info-point for the archaeological dig going on outside, so why not take the opportunity to go in for a look around before the transformation begins? It’s supposed to be open Mondays 9-12, Wednesdays and Fridays 14-17hrs.
aixcentric 
I’m happy that Aix will put this lovely building to good use, but rather sad that it is not going to house the Natural History Museum, which was originally the project. That poor museum was turfed out of its downtown location three years ago, when the Hôtel de Bailly was sold to a developer (there’s a couple of stores and a furniture showroom in there now) and is still homeless, its valuable and extensive collection sitting in storage. A real shame!
Yes I really miss being able to see the Tyrannosaurus of Trets! What happened to him? I hope he is safe in storage.
Maybe the Mairie has plans to rehouse the collection? They seem to be funding so many projects……