The Nouveau Musée National de Monaco
(NMNM) showcases the heritage of the Principality of Monaco and promotes
contemporary works of art through temporary exhibitions at its two locations:
Villa Paloma and Villa Sauber. This approach is rooted in a unique country
whose history has always been characterised by a dialogue between artistic,
scientific and cultural disciplines, and support for designers, thinkers and
researchers.
A little history
According
to the information which is currently available, it was an American, Edward N.
Dickerson, who combined six plots of land belonging to different owners in 1913
to construct a villa and create a garden on Boulevard de l’Observatoire in the
Révoires area of Monaco. It is believed that there was already a pavilion on
the main plot, and that this was sold by Mr Eugène Roganne, a sculptor and
ornamentalist.
The villa, named Villa Coquette by Mr Dickerson, was three storeys high. Some
people maintain that the architect was the famous Sébastien Marcel Biasini, but
since he passed away in 1913, this seems highly unlikely.
Having been sold for the first time in 1920, the Villa was purchased in 1925 by
Englishman Robert W. Hudson, whose father had founded a liquid soap factory
back in England. On his retirement, Robert Hudson was in possession of a
comfortable fortune and bought the Villa in 1925. Following his marriage to
Béatrice Sabina Gaudengio in 1932, it became Villa Paloma. It is said that
Béatrice already had a house called Villa Paloma in Cap d’Ail and that she wanted
to retain the name for the villa in Monaco. Robert W. Hudson was renowned in
Monaco for his great generosity. In 1937, he created a Foundation which bore
his name and which sought to promote learning of the English language in the
Principality.
Having suffered severe damage during the Second World War, the Villa was in a
very poor state when it was purchased by Mr Joseph Fissore on Mrs Hudson’s
death in 1950. Following their marriage, the Fissores undertook major
renovation work, put in a swimming pool and restored the garden, which had been
abandoned.
In 1993, a Monegasque company purchased the villa from the Fissore family. It
was sold on to the State of Monaco two years later. In 2008, a decision was
taken to give it over to the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco.
Villa Paloma remains one of the most beautiful aristocratic residences in the
Principality. Although we cannot be certain of the precise date it was created,
it is known that the Villa’s garden was entrusted to Octave Godard, the most
talented student of renowned landscape artist Edouard André (1840–1911). Godard
turned it into a “classical-style garden”, something of a speciality of his.
The stained-glass windows in the grand entrance hall were made by master
glazier Fassi Cadet of Nice.
Open daily from 10 am to 6 pm during
exhibitions
Closed
on January 1st, May 1st, the four days of the Grand Prix, November 19th and December 25th
Admission:
Adults: NMNM ticket (Villa Paloma + Villa
Sauber): €6
Group ticket: €4 (min. 15 people)
Combined ticket NMNM/Exotic Garden/Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology: €10
Entrance is free on Sundays
Free for under 26s, school and children’s groups, Monegasque nationals, ICOM
and CIMAM members, jobseekers (with identification), people with disabilities.
THE GARDENS OF VILLA SAUBER AND VILLA PALOMA
Villa Sauber and Villa Paloma are home to the
collections of the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco. Both have splendid gardens
which are open to visitors.
The garden at Villa Sauber has been awarded the
Espace Vert Ecologique (EVE) certification by certifying body ECOCERT.
Accessibility: Please note that access to Villa
Sauber and its gardens is via a flight of stairs; the gardens at Villa Paloma
are accessible.