Musée de la Loire
Municipal museum in Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire, housed in a former convent, devoted to life on the Loire and to modern painting from the Loiseau bequest.
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About the museum
The Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire museum was founded in 1900 by local scholars, initially as a cabinet of curiosities. Housed in two rooms of the town hall, it received many gifts and bequests before moving in 1937 to the former sub-prefecture. In 1940, the bombing of the nearby Loire bridge almost completely destroyed the building and a large part of the collections.
In the 1950s, local figures revived the project of a museum devoted to the Loire. The collections grew with objects linked to the river, and two new rooms opened in 1971 in the former courthouse. In 1970, the bequest of the violinist and collector Emile Loiseau gave the museum a group of modern paintings, including works by Dufy, Vlaminck and Derain.
At the end of the 1980s, the town decided to set up the museum in part of the former Augustinian convent. The Augustinians had settled in Cosne in 1616 and left in 1790. Part of the buildings has been listed as a historic monument since 1977, and the monumental fireplace since 1957. The museum opened in this location in 1991.
Two permanent collections are shown today: the Loire collection, which evokes river trades, Nevers faience and boat models, and the Beaux-Arts collection, devoted to the École de Paris.
Highlights
- River trades: boatmen, laundresses, towpath haulers
- Nevers faience and models of Loire boats
- Loiseau bequest: paintings by Chagall, Derain, Dufy, Utrillo and Vlaminck
- Former Augustinian convent with a listed monumental fireplace
- Jardin Michel Froment
Permanent exhibitions
- Fonds Loire – River trades, Nevers faience, devotional objects and models of Loire boats.
- Fonds Beaux-arts, legs Loiseau – More than sixty works of the École de Paris by Chagall, Derain, Dufy, Utrillo, Vlaminck and other artists, on the second floor.
- Founded
- 1900
- Operated by
- Ville de Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2Over 65s, large families, groups of 10 or more, members of Cosne associations or of associations of Nièvre museums, members of motorhome clubs, holders of the KLUB Koikispass card |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free for under 18s. |
| Seniors | €2Reduced rate from age 65. |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree for students, on proof of status. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €2 per personReduced rate for groups of 10 or more. |
| Families | €2Reduced rate with the Famille nombreuse card. |
| Guided tour for a group, by reservation | €20 |
| Activity or workshop for a group, by reservation | €20Free for schools in Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire. |
Free admission: First Sunday of each month from 14:00 to 18:00 (March to October) and the last Saturday before Christmas from 14:00 to 17:30
Admission is also free for job seekers, recipients of CMU health cover, accompanying adults and teachers on educational activities, members of the museum’s Friends, holders of ICOM cards, Pass Culture, Pass Patrimoine and Avantages Jeunes BFC, press, and other professional cards listed on the website. On presentation of a train ticket for Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire station, admission is free.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
A lift serves the floor. Folding seats and rest areas are available. At reception: a braille visitor guide, tactile models, facsimiles and an induction loop. A reserved parking space is a few metres from the entrance. The museum is working towards the “Tourisme et Handicap” label.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €2 · Reduced rate with the Famille nombreuse card. |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Free games for children: puzzles, colouring books, spot-the-difference games and a quiz booklet. Activities and workshops from March to December.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Gare de Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire · 800 m
Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire station on the Paris – Nevers – Clermont-Ferrand line, 800 metres from the museum.
By car
Parking available
Blue-zone parking in front of the museum and in the Vieux-Château car park (10 m), Place Thème (20 m, 2 hrs) and Place de l’Hôtel de Ville (50 m, 1 hr 30 min). Free car parks: La Chaussade (100 m), Les Marronniers (150 m) and La Pêcherie (400 m). Disabled parking bay on Place de la Résistance. Free motorhome service point on Place de la Pêcherie (300 m).
- Accessible parking
By car from the A77, exit 22.1, then follow the signs for the town centre. Coaches may exceptionally drop groups at the entrance after warning the museum. Bicycle parking on Place de la Résistance; the Loire à vélo cycle route passes nearby.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Shop with books, children’s games, postcards and souvenirs. For cyclists: “Accueil vélo” label, a luggage compartment for panniers, a water fountain and a small repair kit.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | A smartphone visit aid replaces room sheets, also available in English. Themed guided tours for groups are available on request (Loire, Beaux-Arts, exhibitions), and in summer there are visits together with the tourist office. |
