Musée de la Viscose
Échirolles museum on the history of the Grenoble viscose factory (1927–1989), its machines and the life of its workers in the company housing estate.
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About the museum
The museum was born out of the closure of the Grenoble viscose factory, whose last thread came off the spinning machines on March 2, 1989; the factory had been based in Échirolles since 1927. To preserve the memory of this industrial activity, an association of former viscose workers set up the museum on the factory site itself, with the support of Cellatex and in partnership with the Musée dauphinois. It was inaugurated on July 1, 1992.
The museum was taken over by the town in 1999, transferred to the Isère Department in 2005, and returned to the town of Échirolles in May 2012. Since March 1, 2021, it has been part of TRACé, a public institution that also runs the Musée Géo-Charles and the Centre du graphisme.
The collection has more than 3,000 objects, machines, photographs and videos. The route explains the invention of artificial silk, the making of thread from wood pulp and working conditions in the factory between 1927 and 1989. It also covers the history of the viscose workers, who came from more than fifty nationalities, their lives in the workers' housing estate, strikes and leisure activities.
Highlights
- Machines of the former viscose factory
- History of the invention of artificial silk
- Life of the workers in the estate, strikes and leisure
- More than 3,000 objects, photographs and videos
Permanent exhibition
- Une aventure industrielle et humaine du XXe siècle – Educational route on the invention of artificial silk, the making of viscose, factory work from 1927 to 1989 and the lives of the viscose workers.
- Founded
- 1992
- Operated by
- Le TRACé (établissement public de la ville d'Échirolles)
Admission & discounts
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
From Lyon, take the A48, then the A480, exit 4.
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