Musée d'Allard
Museum in Montbrison housed in the mansion of naturalist Jean-Baptiste d’Allard: natural history, fine arts, GéGé toys and the Cabinet des merveilles.
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About the museum
The museum occupies the 19th-century mansion of Jean-Baptiste d’Allard (1769–1848), an amateur naturalist from Montbrison. From 1810 he assembled a cabinet of curiosities in his home and garden. On his death he bequeathed to the town his natural history collection, comprising some 16,000 specimens, which makes this one of the oldest museums in the Loire département.
Over time the house has welcomed other collections: fine arts, objects relating to science, technology and belief, and collections of folk art and traditions. An exhibition of dolls in the early 1950s launched a toy collection; after renovation work in the 1970s, a major holding of dolls from the Montbrison company GéGé entered the collections in 2005.
The current route includes a section devoted to d’Allard, a “Muséolexique,” the exhibition “Jouets, jouez etc” featuring the world of GéGé, and the “Cabinet des merveilles.” The museum holds the Musée de France label. It also offers activities for all ages, such as the Vendredis curieux, theatrical tours and family workshops.
Highlights
- Cabinet des merveilles: curiosities from the animal and plant world
- Collection of GéGé toys and dolls
- Natural history collections bequeathed by Jean-Baptiste d’Allard
- 19th-century mansion over four accessible floors
- Vendredis curieux: 20-minute participatory flash tour
Permanent exhibitions
- Jean-Baptiste d'Allard, un chemin de curiosités – A route devoted to the founder and his natural history collections, displayed in his former home.
- Jouets, jouez etc – An exhibition on the world of toys, including the history of the Montbrison company GéGé and its dolls.
- Le cabinet des merveilles – A playful space on the curiosities of the natural world: fossils, ammonites, mammoth teeth and other astonishing objects, presented in the setting of a naturalist’s cabinet.
- Operated by
- Ville de Montbrison
- Visitors per year
- approx. 4,007 (2021)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free for under-18s. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree for visitors with disabilities. |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree for students. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €5 per personGuided tour for adult groups from 10 people. Self-guided visits are free for school groups; guided school visits are free for institutions in Montbrison and €3.50 for others. |
| Annual pass | €10Unlimited access for one year, free family visits and Vendredis curieux, preferential rates for workshops and lectures, invitations to private views. |
| Creative workshop (1 hour 15 minutes, museum admission included, adult) | €5By registration; €3.50 for a child. |
| Workshop with an instructor (child) | €7By registration. |
Free admission: European Heritage Days (free admission).
Free for job seekers. Accepted payment methods: pass’culture, pass’région, pass’sénior, chèque sénior, Pass’Forez, ANCV.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- 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 and its four floors are stated to be accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
45-minute family tour from age 6, family creative workshops from age 5, storytelling tours for ages 2–5, and giant games and treasure hunts with the Copernic toy library (“Le musée entre en jeu,” the last weekend of the month). During school holidays there are workshops on Wednesdays and a family tour on Thursdays.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
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 | Guided tours, family tours, theatrical tours and Vendredis curieux (20-minute participatory flash tours on the first Friday of the month at 14:30, 15:30 and 16:30, from age 12). |
