Musée départemental de la Seine-et-Marne

About the museum

The museum grew out of a departmental ethnography collection set up in 1976 and the purchase, in 1987, of a former inn in Saint-Cyr-sur-Morin. The Hôtel Moderne had been built in 1905 by Georges Simon, owner of a neighboring sawmill, and was taken over in 1926 by the Guibert family. From the 1950s, Pierre Guibert, an avid collector of tools, displayed his collection of rural tools there, until the innkeeper retired in 1987.

The departmental museum opened to the public in 1995. It holds the “Musée de France” label and is devoted to the society and territory of Seine-et-Marne. On the first floor, an ethnographic exhibition presents mainly tools and implements of the rural and village economy before 1950–1960, with films, a space on Brie cheese and apple products, and a passementerie loom. The second floor hosts temporary exhibitions, sometimes ethnological and sometimes linked to the world of Pierre Mac Orlan, along with a creative space for families.

The garden brings together useful plants, including ten varieties of osier once grown in the valley. The museum also holds a substantial collection devoted to the writer Pierre Mac Orlan (1882–1970). His restored house, owned by the commune, can be visited 500 meters away in the hamlet of Archets. The full visit can take half a day to a full day.

Highlights

• Ethnographic exhibition on rural life in Seine-et-Marne before 1960
• Garden with useful plants and ten varieties of osier
• L’Atelier, a creative space for families
• Pierre Mac Orlan’s house 500 meters away, with the writer’s own voice
• Museum films on the region’s traditional crafts

Permanent exhibitions

• Exposition ethnographique du rez-de-chaussée – Tools and implements of the rural and village economy of Seine-et-Marne, with films and a space on Brie cheese and apples.
• Maison de Pierre Mac Orlan – The writer’s house, restored to its original state, with an introductory film and the author’s voice.

Founded

1995

Operated by

Département de Seine-et-Marne

Admission & discounts

Full price: €7 during a temporary exhibition, otherwise €5; reduced: €5 during a temporary exhibition, otherwise €3. Free admission also for recipients of minimum social benefits, job seekers, war victims, staff and elected officials of the Département, ICOM members, journalists and other categories listed on the website, on presentation of proof. The free Balad’PASS77 card gives one free admission for each full-price admission purchased. The Pierre Mac Orlan house is free for individual visitors.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• 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 holds the “Tourisme et Handicap” label for motor, intellectual, hearing and visual disabilities. A parking space is reserved opposite the museum. Most videos have French subtitles, and the audiovisual room has an induction loop. A magnifier is lent at reception, and visually impaired visitors can receive personal assistance if they call ahead. The Pierre Mac Orlan house is not accessible to people with reduced mobility; a 25-minute filmed tour is offered to them instead.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties

L’Atelier, on the second floor, is a creative and experimental space for families linked to the temporary exhibition; children stay there under their parents’ supervision. Discovery games and visit aids suited to children’s ages are offered. Children’s birthday parties cost €50 per group of children (20 maximum), including activities; food not included.

Getting there & parking

The museum is 73 km from Paris via the A4 (exit Saint-Jean-les-Deux-Jumeaux / La Ferté-sous-Jouarre), 8 km from La Ferté-sous-Jouarre and 15 km from Coulommiers. It has a rest stop for horse riders.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

Food cannot be eaten inside the museum; a picnic area is by the town hall, on the banks of the Petit Morin. The village has a bakery, a bar and La Cantine de l’Œuf dur. The shop sells books and products related to the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit