Baron Gérard Museum of Art and History

The MAHB occupies the former Episcopal Palace of Bayeux, a historic building constructed between the 11th and 16th centuries adjacent to the cathedral. The museum houses approximately 5,000 pieces spanning 5,000 years of history, including 600 artworks by painters such as Philippe de Champaigne, François Boucher, and Gustave Caillebotte. Visitors can explore collections of Bayeux porcelain documenting 150 years of local ceramic production, and delicate bobbin lace that made the town famous across Europe. The building itself features Romanesque lower halls, an early French Renaissance episcopal chapel with 17th-century murals, and Gothic architectural details uncovered during the 2009-2013 renovation. The museum was established following a donation of 37 paintings by Henri-Alexandre Gérard in 1899, nephew of Napoleon's court painter François Gérard. Note that hours differ seasonally: May-September 9:30-18:30 continuous; February-April and October-December 10:00-12:30 and 14:00-18:00 with lunch closure. Closed throughout January.