Collection Lambert

The Collection Lambert is a contemporary art museum housed in two linked 18th-century mansions, the Hôtel de Caumont and the Hôtel de Montfaucon, at 5 Rue Violette in Avignon, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. It displays the private collection of the Parisian gallerist Yvon Lambert, donated to the French state in 2012, and the museum opened in 2000. The collection covers American and European art from the 1960s onward and includes Minimalist and Conceptual works by artists such as Sol LeWitt, Robert Ryman, Cy Twombly, Anselm Kiefer, Jenny Holzer and Nan Goldin, along with photography, video and installations. Rooms are rotated regularly, and temporary exhibitions are mounted alongside the permanent works, so each visit differs. The white-walled galleries sit inside the historic rooms with painted ceilings and original staircases, producing a contrast between 18th-century architecture and radical modern art. A visit typically takes about 90 minutes, and the building is small enough to complete without fatigue. The museum is quieter than the papal sites, with the busiest period during the Festival d'Avignon in July, when it extends its hours. Visitors who enjoy contemporary art often combine it with a stroll along nearby Rue des Teinturiers and the Place de l'Horloge, which is about eight minutes away on foot. The museum is closed on Mondays, and ticket prices are around EUR 10 for adults with reduced rates available.