Musée du Petit Palais 🇫🇷

Located at the north side of the square by the Palais des Papes, the Musée du Petit Palais offers you a journey into medieval and early Renaissance art inside an authentic UNESCO World Heritage site. Originally built around 1318–1320 as a residence for the bishops of Avignon, this 14th-century building endured use as a citadel, sales during the French Revolution, and school conversions before opening as a museum in 1976. As you explore its historic wings around a cloister, you will discover an exceptional collection of paintings and sculptures.

You can view 390 works by French and Italian primitive artists, reuniting pieces from the Louvre's Campana collection and the Musée Calvet. Highlights include Sandro Botticelli's Madonna with Child, Vittore Carpaccio's Sacred conversation, and paintings by Simone Martini and Enguerrand Quarton. Beyond the galleries, you will see 600 sculptures, including 12th-century Romanesque capitals from the Cathédrale Notre-Dame des Doms cloister, 14th-century papal funerary monuments, and the surviving effigy head from Antipope Clement VII's tomb.

It is a must-see for anyone seeking Avignon's rare artistic and papal legacy.

What to see at Musée du Petit Palais

• 390 Italian and French primitive and early Renaissance paintings, including Botticelli's Madonna with Child.
• 600 historical sculptures featuring 12th-century Romanesque capitals from the Notre-Dame des Doms cloister.
• 14th-century papal funerary monuments and the effigy head from Antipope Clement VII's tomb.
• Italian Renaissance style facades designed by Giuliano della Rovere, the future Pope Julius II.
• UNESCO World Heritage site setting in a former 14th-century bishop's palace with a central cloister.

Visiting tips

Be sure to look for Giuliano della Rovere's insignia and Italian Renaissance pediments on the south and west facades as you approach the museum.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Early morning

How to get there & what’s nearby

Musée du Petit Palais is easy to reach on Avignon’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Palais des Papes. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Avignon travel guide.