Musée savoisien

About the museum

The idea of a historical and archaeological museum for Savoy dates back to 1864, when the Marquis Costa de Beauregard, then president of the Conseil général, proposed creating one together with the City of Chambéry. The first collections were shown in 1889 in a building that later housed the Museum of Fine Arts.

The museum then moved into a 13th-century Franciscan convent near the cathedral, which had also been a bishopric and then an archbishopric. After the separation of Church and State, the building was freed up and housed the Musée savoisien, which opened to the public on November 18, 1913, devoted to local history and ethnography. The building has been listed as a historic monument since 1911.

In 2012, management passed from the City of Chambéry to the Département de la Savoie, which launched a renovation. The museum closed at the end of 2014 for work on compliance, accessibility and conservation, as well as a new museography; the collections were moved and excavations took place in the basement. It reopened on April 29, 2023.

The collections include Bronze Age and Gallo-Roman objects from the lake dwellings of Lac du Bourget, popular Savoyard objects, a coin collection of more than 2,000 pieces, 14th-century Savoyard primitives, and 13th-century wall paintings from the Château de la Rive at Cruet. Salons from the 16th to the 19th century and a memorial to the period 1939–1945 complete the route.

Highlights

• Bronze Age objects from the lake dwellings of Lac du Bourget
• 13th-century secular wall paintings from the Château de la Rive
• 14th-century Savoyard primitives
• Coin collection of Savoy with more than 2,000 coins
• Four salons from the 16th to the 19th century
• Cloister open to all

Permanent exhibition

• Collections permanentes – More than 2,000 objects, from prehistory to the present day, trace the history and cultures of Savoy.

Founded

1913

Operated by

Département de la Savoie

Director

Marie-Anne Guérin

Visitors per year

approx. 48,473 (2025)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to the museum and the cloister is free; a free ticket is issued at the desk for security and statistical purposes. Only guided tours and workshops are paid.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator
• 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

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Guided tours and workshops for families and children, including a tiny visit for ages 0 to 5. The museum offers tours and workshops led by a mediator, alone or with family, including for children.

Getting there & parking

The entrance is on Place Métropole (place de la cathédrale), between the O’Cardinal’S pub and the cathedral. Bicycle racks are installed on the square.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit