The Institution
Discover the Inguimbertine
Inguimbertine is the name given to the Carpentras library museum in honour of its founder. Like him, the establishment has been one-of-a-kind throughout its existence. It brings together a public reference library, exceptional library heritage collections, archives, and a museum collection under one single legal public entity with a single team of adaptable staff.
Intended to be a “house of muses”, the institution has and will always make the works of this intellectual, poet, painter, engraver, and musician available to the public. Following d’Inguimbert’s example, many other donors have also contributed, ever faithful to this constant need to teach through reading, seeing and listening.
D’Inguimbert himself composed a rebus in Latin to describe the Inguimbertine. Two rats around a reed: mus arondo mus = musarum domus = maison des muses = the house of muses. Decor created by Frédéric Dumas in 2007.
1745
The public library opened
Malachie d’Inguimbert opened the doors of his library to the public. More than 25,000 books, paintings, prints, antiques, seals, coins, etc. were available for people to learn from.
From mice to the library
The founder of the Carpentras library-museum, Malachie d'Inguimbert, had a reed surrounded by two mice engraved at the entrance of his establishment. It is a rebus that reads in Latin: “Musarum domus: la Maison des muses.”
Muses are ancient goddesses that represent the arts, letters and sciences. All these disciplines were in the library-museum, consisting of books, paintings, globes, maps and other valuable objects.
1757
Malachie d’Inguimbert died
Upon his death, d’Inguimbert left his library museum to his fellow citizens, making it one of the oldest cultural public establishments in modern-day France
“By that, I mean that I leave my library, with my manuscripts, collection of medals, antiques, prints, etc., not only to the people of my city and diocese, but also to foreigners of all countries.”
Malachie d’Inguimbert, excerpt from his last will and testament, 1741
1847
The library museum was moved for the first time
The library museum was moved to the Hotel d’Alleman on the new boulevards of Carpentras
1874
The public lending library opened
The Inguimbertine opened a public lending library, allowing users to take books home.
1897
The library was recognised by the state
On 5 July 1897, the library was recognised by the state as a bibliothèque municipale classée due to the exceptional quality of its collections. It is thus one of the fifty-four libraries across France with such prized collections.
1913
The Comtadin museum was inaugurated
The Comtadin museum (Museon Coumtadin) displays the local traditions and collections of art of the Inguimbertine.
2009
The Inguimbertine project was started
The City of Carpentras launched the project to transfer the Inguimbertine to the Hôtel-Dieu. The unique concept of the library museum was at the heart of the programme.
2014
Construction works started at the Hôtel-Dieu
From 2014 to 2024, heavy construction work was undertaken to renovate and refurbish the building with a view to housing the library museum and the multimedia library.
2017
The multimedia library opened
Following several years of renovation works and library collection transfers, the multimedia library finally opened its doors to the public on 4 November 2017.
2024
The library museum opened
On 20 April 2024, the Inguimbertine project was finally completed at the Hôtel-Dieu. Following reorganisation and restoration works, the museum collection of 800 pieces was now displayed to the public in an area spanning 1000 m2.