Free visit of the Camille Claudel Museum

For your next cultural adventure, you'll have the opportunity to explore art history from a different angle. At the Musée Camille Claudel, discover the works of a great artist who lived in Nogent-sur-Seine from 1876 to 1879. The museum presents the largest collection of works by Camille Claudel and a rich panorama of French sculpture from the late 19th century. Opened in March 2017, the museum brings together nearly 200 sculptures, including 45 by Camille Claudel, which reveal all the originality, singularity and emotions of the sculptor.

Who was Camille Claudel? Today seen as a dramatic heroine of the late 19th century, Camille Claudel is above all a leading artist with a universal language. The museum, built around the house where she lived as a teenager, offers a complete overview of her work, from her meeting with sculptor Alfred Boucher in Nogent-sur-Seine and the first sculptures exhibited at the Salon, to the last bronzes published by Eugène Blot from 1905. It also places the artist's career in context, immersing us in French sculpture from 1880 to 1914, and showing the extent to which Camille Claudel was in tune with the times, while setting herself apart from the artists of her time in a profoundly original way.

Camille Claudel's encounter with Auguste Rodin is evoked by contrasting works by the two sculptors. Over and above their passionate history, which is well known to the public, we discover the exceptional affinities of their two sensibilities, which explain the power and complexity of the relationship that united the two artists. A closer look at some of their works shows both their shared inspiration and what distinguishes their sensibilities.

After their separation, Camille Claudel organized her life and career to show the distance she had taken from Auguste Rodin. She refused the help he offered her and, in her work, sought to distinguish herself from the aesthetic associated with the master. Through emblematic works - La Valse, L'Âge mûr, Les Causeuses - and lesser-known works such as the monumental marble Persée et la Gorgone, the tour reveals the strength and sensitivity of Camille Claudel's art.

On site, you can explore the collections freely, with family or friends. An audioguide, included in the admission ticket, provides additional information. Two tours are available: an adult tour in French, English and German, and a family tour in French for children aged 7 and over. The latter are designed in a spirit of freedom and conviviality, so that you can move at your own pace, alone, with family or friends.

Family activity sheets are available for children and their parents to discover the sculptures in a fun way. Throughout the year, a rich program of guided tours, storytelling in front of the works, modeling workshops for children or families and events is offered.