This article intends to review the public dimension of the antiquities collections in the towns of Southern France, between the end of the sixteenth century and the beginning of the seventeenth century. Its aim is to identify the manifestations of their public character, understood in both senses of the word: in the strict sense – depending on the State – and in a broader sense – concerning the community. A close look at the municipal collections shows the town-administrators’ wish to make them accessible to the public. Furthermore, a survey of private collections reveals their relationship to the public sphere, in terms of access, circulation and marketing of antiquities.