Musée des Blindés de Saumur
One of the largest armored vehicle museums in the world, with several hundred vehicles from 1917 to the present day, housed in a former tobacco factory.
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About the museum
The collection began in 1977 around Colonel Michel Aubry, who won the support of the military leadership and local elected officials. The first vehicles were shown in old hangars of the armored cavalry training school. From 1987, around fifty of the finest vehicles were displayed in the former Bossut riding hall.
In 1993, the collections, until then scattered, were brought together in Saumur in buildings of about 22,000 m², acquired and restored by the Ministry of Defence. The museum is also called the Musée Général Estienne, after the general regarded as the father of the French tank.
Today the holdings exceed 800 vehicles, of which about 250 are permanently on display and more than a hundred are in running order. They come from many countries and illustrate the history of armored vehicles since 1917: the First World War, the fighting of 1939 to 1945, the Cold War and the present day. An association under the French 1901 law supports the museum.
Highlights
- More than 800 armored vehicles, about 250 on permanent display
- Vehicles from many countries, from 1917 to today
- More than a hundred vehicles in running order
- Galleries devoted to the First World War, 1939–1945, the Cold War and the present day
- Free visitor booklet for children
Permanent exhibition
- Exposition permanente des blindés – Chronological and thematic galleries presenting armored vehicles from 1917 to today: the First World War, 1939–1945, the Cold War and the contemporary period.
- Founded
- 1977
- Operated by
- Ministère des Armées
- Visitors per year
- approx. 80,000
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €11 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €9Students and people with disabilities |
| Children & teens | €6free up to age 6 · Child rate for ages 7 to 16; free for under-7s. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €9 |
| Students & apprentices | €9 |
| Groups (10+ people) | €9 per personPrice per person for groups of 10 or more. |
| Families | €30For 2 adults and 2 or more children. |
| Combined ticket with the Musée de la Cavalerie, adult (valid for the day) | €16 |
| Combined ticket with the Musée de la Cavalerie, child aged 7 to 16 | €9 |
| Combined ticket with the Musée de la Cavalerie, family | €47 |
| Combined ticket with the Musée de la Cavalerie, student and person with disabilities | €13 |
| Combined ticket with the Musée de la Cavalerie, group (10 people or more) | €13 |
| Guided tour supplement | €3Ages 16 and up. |
| Private visit for 1 to 9 people (flat fee) | €100 |
Free admission for children under 7, active-duty military personnel, reservists and civilian Ministry of Defence staff, museum association members, journalists, war invalids, Pupilles de la Nation (state wards of war) and holders of the ICOM card.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- 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
Single-level museum with wide circulation areas; three ramps lead to the France 1940 and Warsaw Pact galleries and the temporary exhibition space. The museum states that it is accessible with occasional assistance.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 6 |
| Family ticket | €30 · For 2 adults and 2 or more children. |
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
A free visitor booklet for children is handed out at reception. Child rate for ages 7 to 16 and a family package.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Fricotelles
Saumur railway station (TER). Bus line A from the station to the “Fricotelles” stop.
By car
Free parking
Free parking for the duration of your visit for cars, motorcycles and motorhomes.
The museum is in a former tobacco factory, near the Château de Saumur.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Online shop; no information is published about a café or restaurant.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Allow 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours for the permanent exhibition. Guided tours are offered for an extra charge, for ages 16 and up, and are booked on site; outside school holidays, thematic tours take place on Wednesdays at 14:00 and 15:30, and more often during holidays and in summer. For groups of 10 or more, booking is by email, with one month's notice on weekdays and two months at weekends. |
