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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.
THE MAHHSA IN A FEW KEY DATES
· 1946: Exhibition of works by mentally ill patients at Sainte-Anne Hospital.
· 1950: First International Exhibition of Psychopathological Art, with 17 countries participating and nearly 2,000 works by “patient-artists” on display. A desire was expressed to create a museum using the donations received following this exhibition.
· 1950–1960: Gradual expansion of the collection with works from hospitals and the personal collections of psychiatrists. At the same time, the first art workshops were established at Sainte-Anne.
· 1994–1996: Rediscovery and consolidation of the works. Start of an inventory in accordance with regulatory standards. First exhibitions at the Singer-Polignac Museum (the museum’s former name).
· 2000–2016: Numerous thematic exhibitions. Regular additions to the inventory through donations. Support from the DRAC Ile-de-France and the General Inspectorate of Museums of France.
· Since 2010: Development of a Scientific and Cultural Project.
· 2016: Ministerial decree granting the designation “Musée de France” to the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire de l’Hôpital Sainte-Anne (MAHHSA).
· Since 2017: Major historical, thematic, and monographic exhibitions, and collaboration with other institutions such as the Prinzhorn Collection and the network of Regional Contemporary Art Collections. Integration into the Videomuseum network.
· 2021: Online presentation of the entire Sainte-Anne Collection (Navigart).
PROGRAM
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
TOURS (in French): Masterpieces. At the Heart of the Sainte-Anne Collection
Discover the iconic works of the Sainte-Anne Hospital Museum of Art and History through cross-cutting themes such as the history of mental institutions, dreams of landscapes, and imaginary worlds, blending art, psychiatry, and contemporary creation
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
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Art therapy and childhood. Contexts, principles, and approaches
28,00 € Add to basket -
Between the art of the insane and outsider art. The Sainte-Anne Collection
22,00 € Add to basket -
From the art of madmen to works of art – volume 1
39,00 € Add to basket -
From the art of madmen to works of art – volume 3
39,00 € Add to basket
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.