Musée Crozatier
Multidisciplinary museum in Le Puy-en-Velay bringing together archaeology, fine arts, lace, natural sciences and Egyptology in a renovated neoclassical building.
No sound? Check your device’s silent switch.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Musée du Puy was founded in 1820 by a small group of scholars and art lovers, with the support of the prefect of the Haute-Loire. It was first housed in a chapel in the upper town and from the start pursued an encyclopaedic approach: archaeology, natural sciences and fine arts.
In 1850 a first building was erected in the Fer-à-cheval garden to designs by Achille Normand. Following the bequest of Charles Crozatier, a new neoclassical building by Antoine Martin doubled the exhibition space in 1868, and the museum took the name of its benefactor.
After a reorganisation in the mid-20th century, the city launched a major renovation project in 2007, entrusted to the Beaudouin agency of Nancy. The main works began in 2013 and the museum reopened in 2018. It now presents itself as four museums in one, with a history gallery, a Velay gallery, a fine arts gallery and a science gallery. The collections also include lace, Egyptology, mineralogy, palaeontology and zoology.
Highlights
- “Vierge en majesté” (Virgin in Majesty), 12th century
- Four permanent galleries: history, Velay, fine arts and sciences
- Le Puy lace collection
- Collections of Egyptology, mineralogy and palaeontology
- 19th-century neoclassical building, renovated in 2018
Permanent exhibition
- Les quatre galeries permanentes – The permanent display comprises the history gallery, the Velay gallery, the fine arts gallery and the science gallery.
- Founded
- 1868
- Operated by
- Ville du Puy-en-Velay / Agglomération du Puy-en-Velay (Service Patrimoine)
- Visitors per year
- approx. 97,391
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Young people aged 18 to 25, job seekers and groups of at least 10 people |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for under-18s. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · The companion enters free if the carte mobilité inclusion bears the mention “invalidité avec besoin d'accompagnement”. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €5 per personReduced rate from 10 people paying together. |
| Annual museum pass | €18 |
| Museum guided tour (full rate) | €11Reduced rate €8; €3 with the annual pass; free for under-18s. |
| Dance, storytelling, offbeat or musical tour (full rate) | €12Reduced rate €9; €4 with the annual pass. |
| Workshop tour or workshop for young audiences | €6 |
| Art history course (session) | €7€21 for 4 sessions, sold at reception only. |
Free admission also for members of the Société des amis du musée Crozatier, members of ICOM and ICOMOS, holders of a press card and teachers from the Ministry of Culture. Proof is required for reduced and free admission.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum offers accessible tours, for example in French Sign Language. Details of on-site facilities are not published on the website.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
The museum offers family and young-audience sessions, workshops and, in summer 2026, an escape game for children aged 10 and over.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Gare du Puy-en-Velay
Le Puy-en-Velay TER railway station.
By car
Paid parking · 500 m to the entrance
Paid car parks about 500 m away: Michelet car park and Breuil car park (surface and underground), as well as paid on-street parking in nearby streets.
About 1 hr 30 min by car from Lyon or Clermont-Ferrand, about 45 minutes from Saint-Étienne.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
Up to 50 guests.
A teaching room with 50 seats, as well as the old hall and the reception hall for large events: lectures, conferences, seminars, receptions and private visits.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours, themed visits and workshops, booked online or at reception. |
