Musée des Beaux Arts Bordeaux

The evolution of Occidental art from the Renaissance to the mid-20th century is on view at Bordeaux’s Museum of Fine Arts, which occupies two wings of the 1770s-built Hôtel de Ville, either side of elegant city park Jardin de la Mairie. The museum was established in 1801; highlights include 17th-century Flemish, Dutch and Italian paintings, and the last work painted by one of Bordeaux's earliest (and most celebrated) female artists, Rosa Bonheur (1822–99) who infamously wore men's trousers when she worked. Temporary exhibitions are occasionally hosted at its nearby annexe, Galerie des Beaux Arts, closed for renovation work until 2019.