Musée du Septennat in Château-Chinon reopens as Cité des présents after seven years

After seven years of closure, the Musée du Septennat in Château-Chinon, Nièvre, has reopened under the new name Cité des présents. The museum, which houses the collection of diplomatic and personal gifts received by former French President François Mitterrand during his tenure (1981-1995), has merged with the adjacent Musée de la mode (formerly Musée du costume). A central glass pavilion, designed by architect Patrick Mauger, now connects the two museum spaces. The renovation project, initiated in 2014 by the departmental council and costing €17.5 million (with €11.7 million from the Département), aims to increase visibility and attract a wider audience. The permanent exhibition now displays 300 objects from the 4,800-piece collection, down from 500, with a focus on contextualizing the symbolic value of the gifts. The fashion museum, which holds clothing from the late 17th to 21st centuries, including pieces by Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent, features a new minimalist scenography without vitrines, rotating its display annually around a theme. The inaugural exhibition highlights ceremonial garments, showcasing 150 pieces on the evolution of the female silhouette. A temporary exhibition space of 138 m² will open in 2027.