Château-musée de Gien

About the museum

The château of Gien overlooks the Loire. It was built from 1482 for Anne de Beaujeu, daughter of Louis XI, on the site of a former medieval fortress. Its architecture combines red and black brick with dressed stone and links it to the early French Renaissance. Several monarchs stayed there, including Francis I.

In the 19th century the Loiret département bought the building. It then served as a sub-prefecture, a courthouse and a prison. The court did not leave until 1962. In June 1940, bombing destroyed much of the town of Gien, but the château survived.

After the war, the idea of turning the château into a hunting museum was championed by Pierre-Louis Duchartre, inspector of provincial museums. Henri de Linarès, an animal painter, became its first curator. The museum opened on June 22, 1952, and became the International Hunting Museum in 1967.

The collections include weapons, accessories, hunting attire, paintings, sculptures, tapestries, prints and drawings. They show both hunting techniques and the arts inspired by hunting. The château-museum is owned by the Loiret département and holds the “Musée de France” label.

Highlights

• Works by Jean-Baptiste Oudry, including a barbet dog and a vautrait hound
• Galleries on falconry, hunting with hounds and shooting
• Antique weapons, hunting and wolf-hunting attire
• Tactile models of the château in the first room
• An early Renaissance château listed as a historic monument

Permanent exhibitions

• Chasse au vol – Rooms 1 to 5 on the upper first floor, devoted to falconry techniques.
• Chasse à courre et chasse à tir – Rooms 6 to 15 on the second floor, devoted to venery (hunting with hounds) and shooting.

Founded

1952

Operated by

Département du Loiret

Visitors per year

approx. 26,623

Admission & discounts

Free admission for children under 7, press card holders, tour guides, ICOM and ICOMOS members, members of the Friends of the Museum association, companions of people with disabilities and other categories, with proof. A reduced rate is granted on presentation of a full-price ticket to several partner châteaux and museums in the region. Payment methods: cash, bank card, cheque, chèques-vacances ANCV, YEPS.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description: no information

The château is a historic monument and access is not easy everywhere; a companion is advised. A platform lift and a lift serve the rooms; the lift has Braille buttons and voice announcements. Four reserved parking spaces are along the church, about 200 metres from the entrance gate. A wheelchair and cane-chairs are lent on request. Induction loop at reception, tactile models of the château, Braille and large-print booklets and magnifying glasses lent on request, an easy-read visit booklet, and videos in French Sign Language accessible by QR code. The museum received the Tourisme et Handicap label for all four types of disability in November 2021.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly: not available
• Baby changing facilities

“P’tit loup” kit for 3- to 5-year-olds, lent on request against ID. Free booklet games for 6- to 10-year-olds. Animated tours and creative workshops during school holidays. Umbrella strollers, baby carriers and bottle warmers lent on request; changing tables in the toilets. The museum belongs to the Môm’Art network.

Getting there & parking

Museum address: 1 place du Château, 45500 Gien.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Lockers

Tea room open in July and August as well as during the September European Heritage Days, subject to change. Shop open during museum hours. Food is not permitted in the rooms.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit