The Agglo de Sète, singled out by the Prefecture for its management of the Etang de Thau museum in Bouzigues

Le musée de l’étang de Thau, sur le port de Bouzigues. Midi Libre – Thomas Ancona-Léger

An inspection by the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs (DRAC) revealed a certain number of shortcomings on the part of the Agglopôle de Sète in its management of the ethnographic museum dedicated to life around the Thau pond.

Discomfort within the heritage and preventive archeology department of the Agglo, which is currently experiencing some internal turmoil. It all started with a scientific and technical control carried out by the DRAC on the Etang de Thau museum, located in Bouzigues, and a report sent immediately on October 16, 2023. at the Agglopôle. According to the Prefecture, this reported "missings" and listed a series "operation to be put in place so that the establishment complies with the regulations".

Lack of scientific direction

A municipal establishment founded in 1991, the Étang de Thau museum was first under the supervision of the City of Bouzigues before coming under the management of the Agglopôle of Sète, in 2017, on the occasion of the merger between what was then called Thau Agglo and the Community of Communes of the North of the Thau Basin (CCNBT). In the meantime, the museum received the designation "musée de France" in 2003, a name created a year earlier likely to apply to "any permanent collection composed of property whose conservation and presentation are of public interest and organized for the knowledge, education and enjoyment of the public".

This designation also guarantees "inalienability, imprescriptibility and elusiveness" of the museum's collections at the same time as it opens the possibility for the latter to be "mentioned& nbsp;in the communication documents distributed by the Ministry of Culture". A significant communication boost for a small establishment, like that of Bouzigues. Except that the 2002 museum law also provides for a certain number of specific criteria to be met in order to claim to be a 'museum of France'. First and foremost the obligation for the structure to be "led by scientific staff from the territorial or national cultural sector (curator or conservation officer)".

"Lack of relevance"

And this is where things get stuck for the Etang de Thau museum, which no longer has a scientific manager since 2010 and the retirement of the previous one responsible. " [The position] has not been recreated and supported by the City of Bouzigues ( which remains the owner of the building and the collections) then by Sète Agglopôle Méditerranée while its existence is required by regulations and necessary for the proper functioning of the establishment"' , indicates the Prefecture when questioned on this subject.

Asked several times, the current director, Pierre Guerrin, did not wish to answer our questions. In a memo sent to Midi Libre, the Agglo states its desire to " reorganize [sound] heritage and preventive archeology service". It further notes the fact that the latter & ;quot;does not count among its staff of agents on the grade of curator" and concedes that there is a "lack of relevance in this organization".

To compensate for this shortcoming, the decision was therefore made to open a position of curator who will be responsible for overseeing three major cultural sites in the region (see opposite). Furthermore, after the departure of Aurélie Pothon as director of culture and heritage a few months ago, it is Sylvie Jaumes, her deputy, who is acting in the interim in the interim. waiting for the next recruitment.

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