Musée Henri Dupuis
Collector’s museum devoted to natural history (shells, minerals, birds), closed to the public since 2004.
No sound? Check your device’s silent switch.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Henri Dupuis (1819–1889) was a major collector from Saint-Omer. A bachelor and man of independent means, he devoted his fortune and much of his time to gathering natural specimens from around the world, commissioning explorers and fitting out his house to display his collections. On his death, he bequeathed his residence and all of his collections to the town, so that they might be useful to everyone, especially young people.
In 1950, the collections of the town’s two museums were redistributed: fine arts and decorative arts were grouped at the Hôtel Sandelin, while the Musée Henri Dupuis became devoted entirely to natural history, with the notable exception of Flemish cooking. In the 1970s, dioramas were set up on the first floor to present the stuffed birds more vividly.
The mineralogy room, with its 17 display cabinets, the Flemish kitchen and the shell room (more than 20,000 specimens) have kept their 19th-century presentation. The birds come notably from the Charles Van Kempen collection, donated in 1921. The museum has been closed to the public since 2004, as the building no longer met visitor-reception standards.
Highlights
- Shell room: more than 20,000 marine specimens
- Mineralogy room with its 17 19th-century display cabinets
- Stuffed birds in dioramas, Van Kempen collection
- Flemish kitchen kept in its historic state
- Operated by
- Ville de Saint-Omer
- Visitors per year
- approx. 2,656
Admission & discounts
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
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 museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & 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
| Good to know | Two escape games, run by the tourist office, are offered year-round on the first floor of the building. One in three exhibitions at the Hôtel Sandelin museum is devoted to natural history collections. |
|---|
