Musée des Canonniers
Museum run by volunteers in the former convent of the Urbanistes, devoted to the Brotherhood of the Gunners of Lille and the military history of the city.
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About the museum
The museum is housed in the former convent of the Poor Clares, known as the Urbanistes of Audenarde, in Lille. It presents the history of the Brotherhood of Gunners and Culverin-men, founded on May 2, 1483 under the patronage of Saint Barbara. The brotherhood is presented as the oldest institution in Lille and as one of the oldest artillery corps in Europe.
The gunners distinguished themselves during the Austrian siege of Lille in 1792. In 1803, Napoleon Bonaparte reorganised their battalion and gave them the former convent. A monumental gateway, whose columns are replaced by cannons, bears the inscription “Napoléon 1er Empereur aux Canonniers de Lille” and the list of the sieges in which the battalion took part.
The museum presents itself as the oldest volunteer-run museum in Lille, and it is managed entirely by volunteers. Its thematic rooms hold around three thousand objects – weapons, uniforms, documents and artillery equipment – that cover the history of Lille from the year 1000 to 1835.
Highlights
- Monumental gateway whose columns are cannons
- Two Gribeauval cannons given by Napoleon after the 1792 siege
- Courtyard of honour with an Austrian mortar burst in 1792, howitzers and a 75 gun
- 16th-century maps of the County of Flanders
- Edged weapons and rifles from 1777 to 1945
Permanent exhibition
- Collections sur la confrérie des canonniers et l’histoire militaire de Lille – Thematic rooms on artillery, weapons, uniforms and documents linked to the Brotherhood of Saint Barbara.
- Operated by
- Association de bénévoles du musée
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 14 · Free admission for children under 15. |
According to the Lille tourist office, groups pay from €2 or €3 per person. Payment by card, cheque or cash.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The convent of the Urbanistes is also listed at 28 rue des Urbanistes, 59800 Lille.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
Up to 70 guests.
Sainte-Barbe hall of 160 m² with brick vaulting, lent under agreement for association activities (about 70 people), with a catering area. An allowance covers consumables and energy.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Guided tours are offered. Group visits are booked by email; the Lille tourist office gives a maximum capacity of 25 people per group. |
