Musée archéologique de Dijon – ancienne abbaye Saint-Bénigne
The Dijon Archaeological Museum occupies the main wing of the former Benedictine abbey of Saint-Bénigne. The museum's collections are housed in the chapter house and scriptorium, dating from the early 11th century (level 0), and the monks' dormitory, whose vaults date from the late 13th century (level 1). More recent rooms (level 2) and a 17th-century staircase complete the ensemble.
You can discover a vast panorama of the presence of man in Burgundy, from prehistory to the Middle Ages, through the famous sites of the region: Dijon, Alesia, Les Bolards, les Sources de la Seine, Vertault, Mâlain...
On level 0, the ex-voto statues from the Gallo-Roman sanctuary at the Sources de la Seine pay homage to the goddess Sequana and her cult. Nearby are numerous stelae and bas-reliefs, including that of the "Wine Merchant" from Til-Châtel, depicting scenes of daily life similar to those found in Pompeii and Herculaneum. In the last century, the ancient walls of the Castrum de Divio have yielded numerous sculptures, the most representative of which you will discover here.
On level 1, the Gothic vaults house the medieval collections in a presentation that has recently been revamped. The sites of Saint-Bénigne Abbey and the Chartreuse de Champmol are particularly highlighted, along with other Burgundy sites such as Moutiers-Saint-Jean and Curtil-Saint-Seine.
The excavation of the Mediolanum site (Mâlain) is followed by a look at daily life in the Gallo-Roman period. An educational model shows a villa excavated at Selongey. A wide range of crafts are explored (bronze, blacksmiths, glassmakers, etc.), echoing the effigies of many of the region's divinities.
An introduction to the Merovingian period provides an opportunity to admire the jewellery and weapons worn by the inhabitants of Burgundy at this time: garnet-encrusted fibulae, silver-plated belt buckles, gold earrings, shield umbo and swords placed in the tombs of Burgundian and Frankish warriors.
Free admission