MUSEUM LA PRINCERIE

The art gallery and museum (musée d’art et d’histoire) has been housed in a 16th-century house in the heart of the old town since 1932. Its very varied collections give insight into Verdun's rich history from prehistoric times to the eve of the First World War. There are numerous archaeological artefacts illustrating everyday life and burial traditions between prehistoric times and the Middle Ages. Some of the mediaeval sculptures from the region's religious buildings are particularly outstanding. There are also objects, seals and coins reflecting the town's history and the changes it has undergone over the years.

One room is given over to traditional Lorraine furniture. Another contains a collection of works by two great 19th-century artists from Meuse: Jules Bastien-Lepage and Hector Leroux. A large collection of delftware reflects the variety of products made locally and in other countries. The visit ends in a room filled with militaria from the 16th to 20th centuries. In the museum garden, there is a hundred-year-old maple.