Museum of Culture and Landscapes : the bank

In the heart of the city center, La Banque, museum of Cultures and
Landscapes (Hyères museum) found its place in the magnificent former
extension of the Bank of France. This ancient building (20th century) of
neo-classical and art déco style, is an ideal setting for art collections
labelled “Musée de France”. In this mysterious place, the visitor is
welcomed to discover works of art in the old vault or in others unlikely
places, such as the central patio or the auxiliary cash desk. Among the
8000 objects that belong in the museum collections, the permanent
tour on the first floor represents each category. The museum trail tells
the story of Hyères through its landscape evolution and activities. From
Alexandre Cabanel to Benjamin Constant or from Cartier-Bresson to
Karl Lagerfeld and Bernard Plossu, the trail is composed of 200 works
of art, testifying of 2000 years of history in Hyères.

With more than 1100 m2, the garden has been designed to be in harmony
with the building. As a former French garden, it was transformed with
a Mediterranean aspect in an exceptional framework. The garden
is divided in three main atmospheres on its edges, to parallel the
city landscapes : an exotic area full of Strelitzia, Cycas and Hibiscus,
another inspired by the seaside with Tamarix and Silver Ragwort and
finally, the garrigue decorated with its typical oak trees, Strawberry
trees (Arbutus unedo) and Pistacia plants. Among those plants, Oscar
Dominguez’s major work, The Cat monument, found its place between
four palm trees

The museum wishes to be an exceptional institution, adapted to the
public expectations and to the museographical requirements. This
cultural site aspires to increase the public’s curiosity and its open
mindedness towards art, offering a large overview from the creation
of ancient art to contemporary art. To this extent, the ground floor
provides a vast space for some significant temporary exhibitions.

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