La Fabrique des savoirs
Cultural site in Elbeuf housed in a former textile factory, with a museum of natural sciences, archaeology and industry, an interpretation centre and archives.
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About the museum
La Fabrique des savoirs occupies a former annex of the Blin et Blin textile company, built in 1890 for the preparation and weaving of wool. Elbeuf’s textile industry dates back to the late 15th century. After Alsatian industrialists arrived in 1871, the Blin firm grew until it covered nearly 100,000 m² in the 1920s and employed more than 2,000 people. It closed in 1976 during the textile crisis.
In the early 1980s the town converted part of the buildings into housing and shops. The Métropole Rouen Normandie then renovated the rest of the site, which opened to the public in 2010.
The site brings together three units: the museum, a centre for the interpretation of architecture and heritage (CIAP) and a heritage archive centre. The museum’s collections date back to 1884, based on the private collections of Pierre Noury, and comprise about 45,000 works, objects and taxidermied animals. They are presented in three sections – natural sciences, archaeology and industrial heritage – with the Seine as a unifying theme. The CIAP has a 200 m² permanent exhibition on the urban transformation of the area.
Highlights
- Collections of natural sciences, archaeology and industrial heritage
- About 45,000 works, objects and taxidermied animals
- 200 m² permanent exhibition at the CIAP, with models and audiovisual displays
- Former Blin textile factory, renovated in 2010
- Wool teasel-raising machine and loom
- Audio guides to the collections and an industrial heritage walk
Permanent exhibitions
- Collections du musée : sciences naturelles, archéologie et patrimoine industriel – About 45,000 pieces presented in three sections, with the Seine as a common theme.
- Exposition permanente du CIAP – 200 m² exhibition with models and audiovisual media on the urban and architectural transformation of the Elbeuf area.
- Founded
- 1884
- Operated by
- Métropole Rouen Normandie
- Visitors per year
- approx. 65,248
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Groups | –Group visits must be booked two weeks in advance using an online form. |
|---|---|
| Audio guide rental | €3Per person. |
Access to the museum’s permanent collections, the archive centre and the CIAP is free during opening hours. No booking is needed for individual visits, but entry is subject to capacity limits.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Baby changing facilities
Workshops for children and activities linked to the museum’s themes. A baby changing area is listed on the Seine-Maritime tourism portal.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Église Saint-Jean / Mairie d'Elbeuf
Astuce bus network, lines F9, A, C, F, D1 and D2 to the Église Saint-Jean or Mairie d’Elbeuf stops; public transport is free on Saturdays. By train: Saint-Aubin-lès-Elbeuf station, then line A of the TAE network to the Calvaire stop.
By car
Parking available
Parking at place Lécallier, rue Léveillé and the station car park; coach parking and bicycle parking according to the tourism portal listing.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Wi-Fi
Shop, free Wi-Fi, auditorium and baby changing facilities, according to the Seine-Maritime tourism portal listing.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (FR, EN) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Five audio guide routes: the museum (1 h 30 min), the CIAP (30 minutes), the former factory building (15 minutes), the archives (10 minutes) and a walk through Elbeuf’s industrial heritage (30 minutes). Guided tours, workshops, lectures, film screenings and visits for groups and school classes are offered; groups must book in advance. |
