©Charles Delcourt Get inspired at the Calais Museum of Fine Arts
At the crossroads of history and modernity, the Museum of Fine Arts of Calais stands out as a major cultural site of the cityCombining remarkable architecture, rich collections, and innovative scenography, it invites visitors on a unique artistic journey, featuring great names in art and rediscovered local talent. Just a stone's throw from the town hall and the seafront, this reinvented museum is definitely worth a visit.
A Grand Museum in the heart of Calais
Between the town hall and Calais The Beach, the Calais Museum of Fine Arts is a must-see for art and culture lovers. Built in 1966 at the very end of the reconstruction of Calais, the modernist style of architect Paul Pamart is refined, designed to highlight the works. Moreover, this building has been awarded the Ministry of Culture label “Remarkable Contemporary Architecture”. Since 2023, the museum has undergone a major transformation, modernizing and enhancing its spaces. These renovations have also created new visitor routes. As a nod to history, the tour begins with an introduction to the now-defunct museum. Located in the former town hall, it was destroyed by fire in May 1940.
The Museum of Fine Arts is distinguished by its ease of access and its openness to all audiences. Behind its walls, a dense and eclectic collection, mixing painting, sculpture and graphic arts, in dialogue with immersive temporary exhibitions, designed to arouse curiosity as much as the eye. Notable exhibitions have marked the museum such as:
“Urban Conquest” (2019): a panorama of international street art from Banksy to Jef Aérosol;
“Jane & Serge: Family Album” (2018): intimate photographs of the legendary couple Serge Gainsbourg-Jane Birkin, signed Andrew Birkin;
"Extraordinary machines" (2016) the magical world of François Delaroziere, founder of La Machine and creator of the Dragon and the Calais monitor lizard.
©Charles Delcourt The permanent gallery: the history of art from the 16th century to the present day
©Charles Delcourt 
©Charles Delcourt Inaugurated in 2023, the Galerie Beaux-Arts offers a unique artistic journey through five centuries of art history. William Turner à Jean Dubuffet, more than 250 works are exhibited in a chronological and thematic journey. You will discover landscapes, seascapes, portraits, but also striking contemporary creations signed Annette Messager, Ben or again Jean FautrierAn immersive section also invites you to enter the sculptor's intimate world. Henri Delcambre.
Auguste Rodin and the Burghers of Calais
In a new scenographic space inaugurated in 2025, the route "Auguste Rodin, sculptor of Burghers of Calais » offers an enriched reading of this emblematic work. Immerse yourself in the genesis of this monument through a monumental reproduction of The Gates of Hell, unpublished archives, original sculptures, and a focus on the collaboration between Rodin and Omer Dewavrin, then mayor of Calais. A captivating dive into the world of the master of modern sculpture.
©Charles Delcourt New gallery
Auguste Rodin, sculptor of The Burghers of Calais
This new immersive tour offers an enriched interpretation of Rodin's work, through six themes. From the sculptor's beginnings to his influence on 20th-century artists, visitors discover Rodin's creative universe in its historical and artistic context. The exhibition highlights: a monumental reproduction of The Gates of Hell; a section dedicated to the genesis of the Monument to the Burghers of Calais, through the relationship between Rodin and Omer Dewavrin, mayor of the city at the time; and original works, archival documents, and abundant iconography in various media.
Privileged visit with Sophie Henwood
Jeanne Thil, Calais painter rediscovered at the museum
The museum also honors local artistic figures such as Jeanne Thil or Henri Delcambre, while affirming a clear ambition: to make art closer, more alive, more readable.
Thanks to an exceptional legacy from 170 works donated by the artist's great-nephew, the museum now promotes the work of Jeanne Thil (1887–1968), artist from Calais. His luminous work, nourished by his travels in the Mediterranean (Tunisia, Spain, Greece, Italy), is distinguished by its warm landscapes, his historical frescoes, and his collaborations with public institutions. The exhibition "Paintings from the Faraway" (2020–2021) marked a major rediscovery of his talent.
©Fred Collier