Château comtal – Musée de Boulogne-sur-Mer
Medieval fortress in Boulogne-sur-Mer turned museum: a 19th-century cabinet of curiosities, archaeology, ethnography and art, from Egypt to Alaska.
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About the museum
The château of Boulogne-sur-Mer is the keep of the fortress built in 1231 by the Count of Boulogne, Philippe Hurepel. It served as the counts’ residence, a barracks and a prison before becoming a museum in 1988. It stands on the fortifications of the Roman city, which can still be seen in the undercrofts.
The Musée de Boulogne-sur-Mer was founded in 1825. It inherited the cabinet of curiosities of history painter and natural history enthusiast Isidore Leroy de Barde. Its collections now comprise more than 100,000 objects relating to the history of the town, its travellers, its scientists and its collectors.
The route invites visitors to travel from one culture to another: ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, pre-Columbian Peru, Alaska and Polynesia, as well as paintings, decorative arts and natural history. The exhibition “Les clefs du château” tells the successive lives of the fortress, from the lower halls to the walkways along the walls. The Petit Salon on the third floor is a space for children and families. The museum also has associated sites: the Crypte and the École Musée.
Highlights
- 13th-century medieval château with lower halls and wall walkways
- Collections of more than 100,000 objects, from ancient Egypt to Alaska
- Egyptian coffin, Greek vases, Aleut masks and a Maori canoe
- Petit Salon for children and play bags for families
- Free for under-18s and on the first Sunday of the month
Permanent exhibitions
- Les clefs du château – Exhibition on the successive lives of the château, from the Salle de la Barbière to the walkways along the walls, with works and documents around the model of the monument.
- Collections d'une culture à l'autre – Objects from ancient Egypt, Greece, pre-Columbian Peru, Alaska and Polynesia, as well as works linked to the history of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
- Founded
- 1825
- Operated by
- Ville de Boulogne-sur-Mer
- Visitors per year
- approx. 35,345
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5.50Visitors aged 65 and over, 18–25-year-olds, groups of 15 or more people without a guide, companions of a municipal employee, TER train promotions and cruises |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free for under-18s. |
| Seniors | €5.50Aged 65 and over. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free with a disability card, including a companion. |
| Students & apprentices | €3Students under 26; Pass Culture for 18–25-year-olds at €3; free for students in certain fields of study. |
| Groups (15+ people) | €5.50 per personGroups of 15 or more people not accompanied by a guide. |
| Combined ticket for museum, crypt and École Musée – full price | €11Sold only at the reception desks of the museum and the crypt. |
| Combined ticket for museum, crypt and École Musée – reduced rate | €7 |
| Combined ticket for museum, crypt and École Musée – student (under 26) | €5 |
| QuARTier libre annual pass (1 person) | €21Unlimited access to the château, the crypt and the École Musée, with discounts at partners such as Nausicaá and the Louvre-Lens. |
| QuARTier libre annual pass + (2 people) | €26For the member and one guest of their choice. |
Free admission: First Sunday of the month; national events (Fête de la science, European Heritage Days, European Museum Night, among others); the “Quartiers d’hiver” week
Free admission on proof of status also for job seekers, recipients of the RSA and ASPA, holders of a press card, an ICOM or ICOMOS card, tour guides and members of certain friends’ associations.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The site is partly accessible to people with reduced mobility; the lift is temporarily out of order. Two reserved spaces in the château car park (boulevard Eurvin). Folding seats are lent free of charge; adapted tours and tours in French Sign Language (LSF) are offered depending on the programme.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Stroller-friendly: not available
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
A small salon for children with a mini-exhibition each year, play bags from 12 months and from 6 years, a play-tour for teenagers from 12, a château-and-nursery-rhyme tour from 12 months and a sensory tour from age 3. Bulky strollers are not admitted into the rooms; stick-strollers and baby carriers are lent free of charge.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Libération
Train: Boulogne-Tintelleries station about 10 minutes’ walk, Boulogne-Ville station about 25 minutes’ walk. Bus: from Boulogne-Ville station, lines A, E or C to the Libération stop; free Néo shuttle from Place Dalton to the Libération stop.
By car
Parking available
Nearby car parks: boulevard Eurvin (opposite the Stade de la Libération), Esplanade Mariette and the Enclos de l’Évêché.
- Accessible parking
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | An app presents the collections. Quick “Parlons d’art” talks take place without an appointment; in July and August, two guided tours a day (14:30 and 15:30) are included in the ticket. |
