The impressive cultural heritage of Lyon is evidenced in this Musée des Beaux-Arts, considered the next-best fine arts museum in France after the Louvre. At the Place des Terreaux near the Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall), the museum occupies the 17th-century Palais Saint-Pierre, a former Benedictine convent.
This museum has one of Europe's largest collections of artwork, including antiquities, paintings, sculpture, and decorative art-from ancient Egypt to the present day. The museum also has an excellent collection of Impressionist paintings and modern art.
The quality of the collection is exceptional. There are many renowned works by European masters such as Delacroix, Géricault, Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin, and Véronèse.
Highlights of the painting collection include the medieval altarpiece. Be sure to admire the Baroque statues in the Refectory and Grand Staircase. The museum's café-restaurant, Les Terrasses Saint-Pierre, has a pleasant atmosphere. During summertime, guests may dine al fresco on the terrace in the gardens.
