Musée Saint-Raymond, musée d'Archéologie de Toulouse

About the museum

The Saint-Raymond site housed a hospital for the poor and for students in the 12th century; its foundations were rediscovered by excavations. A chapel was later built, and a first college was founded in the 13th century. About three centuries later, a fire destroyed it.

The present building was completed as a college in 1523, to plans by the architect Louis Privat. It was built in brick, as there was no local stone. During the Revolution the college became national property. The City of Toulouse bought back the buildings in 1836; annexes were then demolished in 1852–1853 to create a square around the Saint-Sernin basilica. Between 1868 and 1871, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc restored the building, which then served as a presbytery.

The museum opened here in 1892. The building lost its listing as a historic monument in 1925 and regained it in 1975. Excavations carried out from 1994 to 1996 beneath the museum uncovered remains, some of which are visible on the route, including a late antique necropolis and the foundations of the hospital and the first college.

The municipal museum holds archaeological collections: Egyptian statues and sarcophagi, Greek ceramics, Roman portraits and reliefs. It also manages the city’s archaeological sites, such as the Roman ramparts, the Purpan amphitheatre and the Roman baths.

Highlights

• Archaeological collections from antiquity and the Middle Ages
• Roman portraits and reliefs of the Labours of Hercules
• Archaeological remains visible beneath the museum
• 16th-century brick college restored by Viollet-le-Duc
• Painted ceiling of birds and trees in a corner tower

Permanent exhibition

• Le parcours permanent – The route presents archaeological collections from antiquity and the Middle Ages, along with remains discovered beneath the building.

Founded

1892

Operated by

Ville de Toulouse

Visitors per year

approx. 84,957

Admission & discounts

Free admission: On the first Sunday of the month, the permanent collection is free with a free online ticket

The prices shown apply during the temporary exhibition, from April 3, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Also free with proof for recipients of minimum social benefits and their minor companions, tour guides, friends of the museum, members of ICOM and ICOMOS, curators and journalists. Holders of an annual pass enter free and pay €3 for activities. An offer for 15- to 18-year-olds is available through the Pass Culture app.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description

The museum is listed as fully accessible, with a lift serving all four levels; the accessible entrance is opposite 11 rue des Trois-Renards. Three reserved parking spaces are on rue des Trois-Renards, about 50 m from the entrance. Wheelchairs, folding seats and magnifiers are lent at the front desk. Some reproductions may be touched. Adapted group tours (audio-described, sensory, simplified or in sign language) are available on request. The courtyard is paved with a slope of 6 to 10%.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities

Family visits, children’s tours, flash visits and art workshops are offered from age 3, at weekends and during school holidays. Free play kits are lent on each floor, and the audio guide includes extracts for children from age 6. Strollers are welcome and a lift makes getting around easier. A baby-changing table is located in the restroom lobby, and there is a nursing area on the first floor.

Getting there & parking

The museum is about a 5-minute walk from Place du Capitole and about 15 minutes from Toulouse-Matabiau railway station. A VélÔToulouse station (no. 32) is at 8 rue des Trois-Renards, next to the entrance.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check: not available
• Lockers
• Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi on the “_Toulouse_Wifi” network, in 120-minute sessions. Café Kalent & Fred in the garden, open seasonally from April 18 to October 15, Wednesday to Sunday 10:00–18:00. Bookshop with publications and gifts. No cloakroom, but token lockers are available at the front desk, at visitors’ own responsibility.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit