The Palais des Ducs et des États de Bourgogne is an grand amalgam of chapels, towers, courtyards, and grand facades layered over centuries.
Built and expanded between the 14th and 19th centuries, it reflects Dijon’s long run as the seat of Burgundian power.
Parts of the complex were designed by Jacques Gabriel, the same architect responsible for sections of Versailles. This explains the palace’s measured sense of confidence rather than outright spectacle.
Today, the Musée des Beaux-Arts occupies the palace interior, and it’s free to visit.
If you have a taste for medieval art — emaciated Christs, stained glass, baleful saints wrapped in rich robes — this is a surprisingly satisfying place to linger.
It’s also large enough to count as exercise, which is useful, since you’ll want to save room for la cuisine dijonnaise afterward.
In this guide, I’ll take you through what you can see and the standout masterpieces.
Overview
The museum is organized over four floors, by theme:
- Ground Floor: temporary exhibitions, weapons and armor, ducal kitchens, and the Chapter House
- First Floor: Italian painting from the 14th to 16th centuries, French and Flemish painting and sculptures, tombs of the dukes of Burgundy
- Second & Third Floors: modern and contemporary art, including works by Francois Pompom (the animal sculptor), Impressionist and Realist paintings, and African sculptures and masks
The 50 rooms are mostly in chronological order. With limited time, you’ll want to focus on the first floor.
After a 10 year renovation that ended in 2019, there’s now state-of-the-art museum technology and visitor amenities. It really cuts the mustard!
Guide To The Musée des Beaux-Arts: What to See
Tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy
The Salle des Gardes Is my favorite room in the museum. The great banquet hall was designed to accommodate festivities of the court of Burgundy.
Exceptionally large, it’s graced with a monumental Gothic fireplace and French ceiling, both of which were reconstructed after a fire in 1503.
Today, it houses two spectacular late medieval tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy, Philip the Bold and John the Fearless. They were crafted by the most celebrated artists of their time, including Jean de Marville, Claus Sluter, and Claus de Werve.
The magnificent recumbent figures are watched over by gilded angels. Below them runs a procession of mourners, each face carved with startling individuality and grief.
At the feet of the tombs, lions stand guard — symbols of rulership, strength, and authority. In medieval thought, they also carried an echo of resurrection, quietly linking power with salvation.
The room itself is a showcase. At one end stands a grand Gothic fireplace. At the other, the altarpiece of the Saints and Martyrs anchors the space.
Tucked into a small niche nearby is a superb portrait by Rogier van der Weyden of Philip the Good, dressed in the deep tones of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
A narrow staircase leads up to the tribune. From there, you get a striking aerial view of the tombs and the full sweep of the room — the best perspective of all.
Medieval Panel Painting
The medieval collection is particularly strong in 14th and 15th century Netherlandish and Burgundian painting, reflecting the court culture that once centered on Dijon.
Altarpieces and devotional panels dominate, many commissioned by ducal or aristocratic patrons who appear kneeling in prayer at the margins of sacred scenes.
These works reward slow looking: intricate textiles, minute architectural details, and expressive faces that hover between realism and idealization.
The galleries also include a refined selection of medieval ivories and goldsmith work.
They’re small-scale objects made for private devotion or liturgical use. Reliquaries, chalices, and church furnishings reveal the wealth and sophistication of Burgundian religious life.
I particularly liked the painting of a skeleton, the symbol of Death, holding hands with saints.
Italian & European Art
Although the museum’s medieval collection is stronger, it holds a surprising strong collection of old master Italian and European painting from the 15th to 18th centuries.
You’ll find works by Veronese, Titian, Lotto, Pontormo, Brueghel, and other Flemish artists.
The collection shows how Italian art influence French styles and regional schools.
The standout pieces are:
- Paolo Veronese, The Finding of Moses
- Paolo Veronese, The Assumption of the Virgin
- Pontormo, St. John the Baptist
- Pietro Lorenzetti, Madonna and Child
- Georges de la Tour, Boy Blowing a Lamp
- Rogier van der Weyden, Philippe the Good
Antiquities
The museum’s Egyptian collection comes from archaeologist Albert Gayet.
He led excavations at Antinopolis in Middle Egypt between 1896 and 1911.
The highlights are funerary objects—sarcophagi, amulets, and small divine figures—meant to honor the gods and secure a comfortable afterlife.
There’s also a strong group of Roman-era mummy portraits, often mislabeled as “Fayum portraits,” though they come from across Egypt.
Painted during the sitter’s lifetime, they were placed into the mummy wrappings to identify the dead.
A smaller ceramics section traces the evolution of Greek tableware from the 13th to the 5th century BCE.
Pompom Gallery
This is a beloved gallery with whimsical sculptures by Francis Pompom. He was a one time assistant to the revered Rodin.
It offers a wide-ranging look at the work and practice of an artist who achieved recognition late in life.
Best known for his animal sculptures, Pompon is represented here by iconic works such as The White Bear (1922), The Pelican (1924), Seated Hare (1927), Running Rabbit (1929), and The Great Stag (1929).
They’re shown in successive versions in plaster, marble, stone, and bronze.
Contemporary Art
The collection then moves into the 19th and early 20th centuries, where the tone shifts decisively.
Romanticism gives way to Realism, and then to modern experimentation.
You’ll see powerful works by artists associated with Romantic and Realist currents, including Géricault, Delacroix, Daumier, and Gustave Courbet, along with painters of the Barbizon school who turned toward landscape and everyday life.
The sculpture galleries are a highlight here.
Pieces by Rodin, Maillol, and Bourdelle show the move away from academic rigidity toward more expressive, tactile forms.
There’s also a thoughtful selection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works, with paintings by Monet, Sisley, and Boudin, among others.
It’s not exhaustive, but it’s enough to show how radically French art changed over the course of a single century.
Practical Information For The Musée des Beaux-Arts
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Closed Mondays.
Tickets: Admission is free.
Time Needed: 2 hours
Pro Tips: There’s a QR code to get information about the museum and its artworks. Audio guides are also available in several languages, offering in-depth commentary.
Guided Tours: The museum also organizes guided tours, focusing on specific themes, periods, or temporary exhibitions.
Is the museum worth visiting?
It’s a must simply to see the historic palace. There are no outright masterpieces.
But, for a provincial museum, you get the whole sweep of French and European art. And, within that narrative, lies the history of the region’s artistic development.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my guide to the Musee des Beaux Arts in Dijon. You may find these other Burgundy travel guides useful:
- Things to do in Dijon
- Things to do in Beaune
- Guide to Hotel Dieu
- Guide to Vezelay Abbey
- Guide to Flavigny-sur-Ozerain
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