In place of the current Museum Calvet was formerly a cardinal's residence - Livre de Cambrai, named in honor of the once lived here D'Ayli Pierre Cardinal, Bishop de Cambrai. In 1719 the building was sold to Francois-Rene de Villeneuve, the Marquis de seigneur d'Arzele and Martignano.

In 1734 his son Jacques-Ignace de Villeneuve decided to expand their holdings and build a new palace. Construction was begun under the direction of Thomas Lainé, but then changed his architects Jean-Baptiste Francesco Frank and Frank. Construction work was completed only in 1749. In 1802, he bought a house Deletro merchant, who in turn handed over the building to rent Avignon authorities to place the collection here Esprit Calvet. March 3, 1833 the building was purchased by the municipality of Avignon for the museum. On October 1, 1963 town house Villeneuve-Martignano on the list of historical monuments of France.

It houses one of the largest collections of paintings in France. Collect collection started a local doctor (numismatist, bibliophile and archaeologist) Esprit Calvet, and later, in 1810, he bequeathed his collection of paintings to the museum and a library. Museum exhibits are works of applied art, sculptures, porcelain, but very interesting painting department, covering the period from the XVI to XX century - by Vasari and Luca Giordano to David, Corot, Manet, Bonnard and Soutine.

Here, in the town house Villeneuve-Martignano, to which were added to the modern buildings, it is the main collection. Library, Calvet and collected a significant collection of nearly 12 000 coins and medals were moved to other places.