Night of Museums in the Yonne

The Night of Museums in the Yonne

Each year, on the third Saturday of May, the European Night of Museums invites the general public to experience museums differently, in a nocturnal and festive atmosphere. In the Yonne, several museums participate in this national event coordinated by the Ministry of Culture, offering original programs, often different from usual visits.

The Musée de l'Avallonnais Jean Després, heart of the Night in Avallon

The Musée de l'Avallonnais Jean Després is the main museum in the town of Avallon (89200). Housed in a beautiful historic mansion in the town's historic center, it holds collections of prehistoric, Gallo-Roman, and medieval archaeology, as well as works by the famous goldsmith and designer Jean Després (1889-1980), a local figure who became a prominent artist of modernism.

• Archaeological collections from prehistory, Gallo-Roman, and medieval periods
• Works by Jean Després, avant-garde goldsmith and jeweler
• Ethnographic and historical collections of the Avallonnais region
• Themed temporary exhibitions

A night rich in discoveries in Avallon

For the Night of Museums, the Musée de l'Avallonnais Jean Després offers new activities: themed guided tours, artistic workshops, screenings, craft demonstrations, and activities for children and families. The 2025 edition notably featured a Chinese calligraphy workshop led by artist Liu Hsiang Lan, with an introduction to preparing Chinese ink, drawing characters, and painting bamboo, orchids, and dragons, punctuated by a session dedicated to martial arts.

Other participating museums in the Yonne

Alongside the Musée de l'Avallonnais, other museum institutions in the Yonne participate each year in the Night of Museums:

• Musée Leblanc-Duvernoy in Auxerre, with its collections of faience and tapestries
• Musée des Beaux-Arts de Sens and the Cathedral Treasury
• Musée de Tonnerre and the Hôtel-Dieu Notre-Dame du Fourcheret
• Private museums and associative collections throughout the department

Free access all evening

In line with the national purpose of the event, admission is free in most participating museums throughout the evening. Local programs are announced on the websites of the museums and local tourist offices, and compiled on the national Night of Museums website.