From barracks to museum… 10 years already
From 20/07/2026 to 31/12/2026
Opened on June 24, 2016, in the former gendarmerie in Saint-Tropez—made famous by the *Gendarme* film series starring Louis de Funès—the Museum of the Gendarmerie and Cinema is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Ten years later, the museum has become a major venue for showcasing local heritage, the history of the gendarmerie, and cinema, welcoming more than 1.3 million visitors from France and around the world.
To mark the occasion, an exhibition traces the building’s evolution from barracks to museum through photographs taken before, during, and after the renovation, as well as posters from temporary exhibitions held since 2016. A retrospective look at ten years of cultural activity and heritage sharing.
In June 2016, the former gendarmerie in Saint-Tropez began a new chapter by becoming the Museum of the Gendarmerie and Cinema. Ten years later, this iconic site has established itself as a major cultural institution in the city, welcoming over 1.3 million visitors from France and around the world.
The building’s history is closely tied to that of Saint-Tropez. Occupied by the gendarmerie brigade since 1879, this former bourgeois mansion became legendary in 1964 with the filming of Jean Girault’s movie *Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez*. Thanks to the popular success of the film series starring Louis de Funès, the former barracks became an iconic setting in French cinema and one of the most photographed sites in the town.
After the brigade moved to new premises in 2003, the idea of creating a museum quickly became a natural choice. The project aimed to preserve this exceptional local heritage while sharing the history of the Saint-Tropez gendarmerie and that of a cinema that has greatly contributed to Saint-Tropez’s reputation.
The Scientific and Cultural Project, adopted in 2012, defined this ambition: to make the museum a place of remembrance, discovery, and education accessible to all. After two years of construction, the museum opened its doors on June 24, 2016.
To celebrate its tenth anniversary, an exhibition traces the building’s evolution through photographs taken before, during, and after its transformation. The ten posters from the temporary exhibitions organized since the opening also bear witness to the richness of its programming, dedicated as much to the history of the gendarmerie as to cinema and depictions of Saint-Tropez on screen.
To mark the occasion, an exhibition traces the building’s evolution from barracks to museum through photographs taken before, during, and after the renovation, as well as posters from temporary exhibitions held since 2016. A retrospective look at ten years of cultural activity and heritage sharing.
In June 2016, the former gendarmerie in Saint-Tropez began a new chapter by becoming the Museum of the Gendarmerie and Cinema. Ten years later, this iconic site has established itself as a major cultural institution in the city, welcoming over 1.3 million visitors from France and around the world.
The building’s history is closely tied to that of Saint-Tropez. Occupied by the gendarmerie brigade since 1879, this former bourgeois mansion became legendary in 1964 with the filming of Jean Girault’s movie *Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez*. Thanks to the popular success of the film series starring Louis de Funès, the former barracks became an iconic setting in French cinema and one of the most photographed sites in the town.
After the brigade moved to new premises in 2003, the idea of creating a museum quickly became a natural choice. The project aimed to preserve this exceptional local heritage while sharing the history of the Saint-Tropez gendarmerie and that of a cinema that has greatly contributed to Saint-Tropez’s reputation.
The Scientific and Cultural Project, adopted in 2012, defined this ambition: to make the museum a place of remembrance, discovery, and education accessible to all. After two years of construction, the museum opened its doors on June 24, 2016.
To celebrate its tenth anniversary, an exhibition traces the building’s evolution through photographs taken before, during, and after its transformation. The ten posters from the temporary exhibitions organized since the opening also bear witness to the richness of its programming, dedicated as much to the history of the gendarmerie as to cinema and depictions of Saint-Tropez on screen.
From 20/07 to 31/12/2026 daily.
July/August: 10 a.m.–7 p.m.
Starting in September: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
One price: 5 €.
Contact
Musée de la Gendarmerie et du Cinéma
2, place Blanqui
83990 Saint-Tropez
+33 (0)4 94 55 90 20
mgc@ville-sainttropez.fr