The Musée Calvet is Avignon's principal art museum, housed in an elegant 18th-century hôtel particulier two blocks south of the main tourist circuit. The collection, donated to the city by physician Esprit Calvet in 1810, ranges from Greek and Roman antiquities through medieval decorative arts and European paintings up to the early 20th century.
The strongest parts are the decorative arts — ironwork, faience, silverware, and furniture from Provence — and a good collection of French paintings from the 17th through 19th centuries. There are also works by Bruegel the Elder, Soutine, and Manet, though the museum is less well-known for its paintings than for the building itself and the pleasant courtyard garden. The Romanesque and medieval archaeological collection in the adjacent Lapidary Museum (part of the same complex, separate entry) is also worthwhile.
The museum is substantially less crowded than the Petit Palais or the Palais des Papes, which makes it a good option for a quiet hour away from the main tourist flow. A combined ticket covers both the Calvet and the Lapidary.