Amiens Museums Face Mixed Audit: Successes and Management Gaps

Key facts

• The regional audit chamber of Hauts-de-France published a contrasting report on Amiens Métropole's three 'musées de France' collections.
• The collections hold over 70,000 works.
• The Musée de Picardie reopened in March 2020 after a €31.1 million renovation, with nearly €20 million from the agglomeration.
• The Musée de Picardie attracted 114,000 visitors in 2024, with daily attendance up 52% since 2022.
• 175,000 free admissions were granted between 2020 and 2024, nearly half for under-26s.
• School visits reached 18,892 in 2024, and over 350 mediation actions were offered.
• Only 19 acquisitions were made between 2019 and 2024.
• The Musée de Picardie has lacked a valid scientific and cultural project (PSC) since January 2025.
• The Hôtel de Berny has been closed since 2006; renovation scenarios estimated at €8.5-9.3 million were never decided.
• The natural history museum has had no building since 1970; a possible shared conservation center is estimated at €50 million.
• The operating cost of the Musée de Picardie in 2024 was €5.1 million, fifteen times its €330,000 revenue.
• The audit excludes the Maison de Jules Verne, Frac Picardie, Galerie Totem, Safran art center, Artothèque, and other venues.