Musée régional d'Auvergne
Museum in Riom housed in an 18th-century mansion (hôtel particulier), devoted to the folk arts and traditions of Auvergne.
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About the museum
In 1954, Georges-Henri Rivière, chief curator of the Musée national des arts et traditions populaires, considered creating a museum devoted to the ethnography of Auvergne. In 1958, the Marquise de Montgon gave the town of Riom an 18th-century mansion and the neighbouring chapel of the Petits Pères Maristes. Major works began in 1967, and the museum was inaugurated in 1969 under the direction of Pierre Sabatier.
The museum has kept its original presentation. It is today one of the last to show what the historians, museum specialists and ethnologists of the 1930s and 1940s had imagined, modelled on the Paris Musée des Arts et Traditions populaires. In 2003, the former chapel was fitted out to house a work by Jean-Paul Marcheschi on the theme of the veillée (evening gathering). In 2025, an installation by the artist Benoît Dutour, made of 31 tears of optical glass, was added.
Located in the historic centre of Riom, one street away from the Musée Mandet, the museum holds more than 4,000 objects: tools and know-how of rural and craft life, furniture, costumes and headdresses, musical instruments, patron saints and contemporary art. It holds the “Musée de France” label.
Highlights
- 18th-century mansion and former chapel
- More than 4,000 objects of Auvergne ethnography
- Costumes, headdresses and musical instruments
- “La Veillée” by Jean-Paul Marcheschi in the chapel
- “Larmes de joie” installation by Benoît Dutour
Permanent exhibition
- Parcours permanent du Musée régional d'Auvergne – Tools and know-how, furniture, costumes and headdresses, musical instruments, patron saints and contemporary art.
- Founded
- 1969
- Operated by
- Riom Limagne et Volcans (service des musées)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €3 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2Residents of the urban community, people over 60, job seekers, holders of a disability card, recipients of social minima, holders of the Cézam card or the Amis du Louvre card |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for under-18s. |
| Seniors | €2Reduced rate from age 60. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for visitors with reduced mobility and their companion. |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree admission for students under 25. |
| Groups (16+ people) | €5 per personGroups of more than 15 people. Reduced rate of €3 for under-18s and students under 25; free for under-12s. |
| Guided tour supplement | €3Free for under-12s. |
| Joint ticket with the Musée Mandet | €7Reduced rate of €3. |
| Ambassador Pass (Musée Mandet and Musée régional d’Auvergne, one year) | €20Reduced rate for companions, up to 5 people. |
Free admission: Free admission on the first weekend of each month.
Admission is also free with the Passeport patrimoine, for professionals with a card (ICOM, ICOMOS, licensed guides, press) and for teachers preparing a visit.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum is not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. Braille signage is present in the museum. Animals are prohibited, even on a lead, except guide dogs.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
The museum has no facilities specifically for families. Admission is free for under-18s.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Gare de Riom - Châtel-Guyon · 9-min walk
Riom - Châtel-Guyon railway station is about a 9-minute walk from the museum. Bus lines and other services are listed on the RLV Mobilité page.
By car
Free parking
Free car park Pré Madame, 2 faubourg de la Bade, and free car parks on the edge of the town centre. Parking in the town centre is charged by zone, but free from 12:00 to 14:30 and from 18:30 to 9:00, as well as on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
The station is 500 metres from the town centre. Clermont-Ferrand airport is 20 km away.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
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 visit guide can be downloaded from the website. Guided tours are charged as an extra; groups book via groupes.musees@rlv.eu. |
