MUSEUM
The Museum of Art and History of Sainte-Anne Hospital (MAHHSA) houses an exceptional collection of works created by artist-patients, dating from the 19th century to the present day. These creations, originating in France but also from hospitals around the world (Brazil, India, Japan, etc.), testify to the richness and diversity of art produced in a psychiatric context.
HISTORY OF THE MAHHSA
In 1950, the International Exhibition of Psychopathological Art held at Sainte-Anne was a seminal moment: numerous works were brought together, laying the foundations for the Sainte-Anne Collection, now recognized for its scope, heritage value, and historical and aesthetic interest.
With more than 1,800 works inventoried, it continues to grow thanks to donations from psychiatrists, institutions, patients’ families, and artists. The museum also maintains a study collection of more than 70,000 works from the collective art workshops created at the hospital in 1954.
In 2016, the MAHHSA became the first hospital museum dedicated to art to obtain the official designation “Musée de France.”
It is managed by the Centre d’Étude de l’Expression, a recognized non-profit organization that also conducts research, documentation, and training in art therapy.
Its missions are manifold: to preserve, restore, study, and promote the collections, but also to make them accessible to as many people as possible. Each year, two temporary exhibitions offer visitors the opportunity to discover or rediscover these works, sometimes juxtaposing them with modern and contemporary art. This dialogue helps to change perceptions of art created in a hospital setting and combat stigma.
The museum is only open to the public during its temporary exhibitions, as it does not yet have a permanent collection.
LE MAHHSA EN QUELQUES DATES
PROGRAMMATION

INFORMATIONS PRATIQUES
Découvrez l’exposition actuelle avec une visite commentée. Après avoir abordé le Plancher de Jeannot sous un angle archéologique, une seconde exposition propose de questionner sa place dans une histoire de l’art. Le dialogue avec un certain nombre d’artistes modernes et contemporains, permet cette mise en perspective.

EXPOSITION DU MOMENT
Vous découvrirez les espaces extérieurs de l’hôpital Sainte-Anne,
dont les origines remontent au XVIIe siècle. La seconde partie de la visite, au Musée d’Art et d’Histoire de l’hôpital Sainte-Anne (MAHHSA), présente l’exposition
« L’invention d’une écriture. Le Plancher de Jeannot et les oeuvres de […] ».

EVENEMENTS
Sous l’Occupation, 45 000 patients en psychiatrie meurent de faim, de froid, ou faute de soins : une « extermination douce ». À Sainte-Anne, l’histoire s’écrit différemment
Cette visite propose une plongée dans l’histoire de l’hôpital pendant la guerre,
au plus près du quotidien des malades
et de l’engagement médical.
ABOUT US

“We don’t know of any equivalent object. What lies behind this writing? What does drawing mean when writing goes off the rails? What do these texts say?”

Françoise Dargent rédige un article sur Le Plancher de Jeannot dans Le Figaro du 2 octobre 2024 : « À Sainte-Anne, l’impénétrable vérité du Plancher de Jeannot ».


“At the Museum of Art and History of Sainte-Anne Hospital, the writing of Jeannot’s Floor as an artistic gesture.”
PUBLICATIONS
SUPPORT THE MUSEUM
Thanks to your support, MAHHSA and CEE continue to promote links between art and psychiatry through training, exhibitions, and research. Become a “Friend of the Museum” to support these initiatives. Your membership gives you access to exclusive events: study days, conferences, museum events, as well as free access to documentation and discounts on publications. Your donations are eligible for a 66% tax reduction under Article 200 of the French General Tax Code. You will receive a tax receipt for any contribution, to be attached to your tax return.

