The city walls of Carpentras take center stage, with archival registers among the oldest preserved by the municipality. These documents reveal a council session that determined the final layout of the 14th-century fortifications and even note how certain unscrupulous citizens did not hesitate to dump manure and refuse in front of the Orange or Monteux gates.

Among the treasures of Bishop d’Inguimbert’s collection, stunning variations on manuscript decoration await: juggler-themed motifs in the Comedies of Terence, intricate bianchi girari interlacing adorning The Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine, and macabre embellishments by the Master of the Champion des Dames. A unique document bearing the authentic gold signature of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent is on display for a few months, taken from the collection assembled in the 17th century by the scholar Peiresc. This pursuit of knowledge is further highlighted through various works of 19th-century scholars.

On the fine arts side, the drawings of the talented Jules Laurens take over the graphic arts cabinet, tracing his journey from childhood sketches to portraits and Orientalist scenes, along with touching depictions of nature and the changing seasons. New studies from the drawing school now feature in the section dedicated to copies, while Comtadine women gracefully pose in Bonaventure Laurens’ drawings, showcased among the collection of traditional headpieces.