Museum of Fine Arts, Dole, Art museum in Dole, France

The Museum of Fine Arts and Archaeology of Dole has been housed since 1980 in the Pavillon des Officiers, an 18th-century example of Franche-Comté military architecture. Its pale stone facade has three bays, a steep brown tiled roof with a carved crest and two wheel-like ornaments, and a central wooden double door beneath a stone balustrade. A sign above the right poster reads "MUSEE".

The museum was founded in 1821 by mayor Dusillet, librarian Pallu and sculptor Jean-Séraphin-Désiré Besson, who served as curator until his death in 1864. Since 1980 it has occupied the Pavillon des Officiers, an 18th-century example of Franche-Comté military architecture in the former château of Dole. The archaeology collection was created in 1899 by archaeologist Julien Feuvrier.

The archaeology section was created in 1899 by the archaeologist Julien Feuvrier and gathers finds from the Dole region, from the Palaeolithic to the Merovingian period. The museum's founders in 1821 were mayor Dusillet, librarian Pallu and sculptor Jean-Séraphin-Désiré Besson, who served as curator until his death in 1864.

The museum occupies the Pavillon des Officiers of the former Dole castle; the entrance is the central wooden double door under the "MUSEE" sign, reached past the stone balustrade of the facade. Galleries are arranged by section: archaeology, ancient art and contemporary art. Allow time for the temporary exhibitions, which have featured artists such as Yayoi Kusama in 1987 and Yan Pei-Ming in 1997.

The archaeology section was created in 1899 by Julien Feuvrier, gathering finds from the Dole region spanning the Palaeolithic to the Merovingian period. The museum's first curator was sculptor Jean-Séraphin-Désiré Besson, who held the post until his death in 1864.