Musée du château de Mayenne

Over het museum

Mayenne Castle rises on a rocky spur overlooking the Mayenne river. The first buildings, probably in wood, date from the early Middle Ages. Around the year 900, a two-level stone residence with a great hall and a square tower replaced them. This Carolingian palace, which retains three original levels, is a rare example for a civil or military building of its time.

Over the centuries, the lords of Mayenne strengthened the fortress. In the 13th century a lower courtyard, a towered curtain wall and a round keep were added. The site was occupied by the English during the Hundred Years’ War, then adapted to artillery and contested during the Wars of Religion. The towers were dismantled in the 17th century. The castle then served as a prison until the 20th century; the town became its owner in the 1930s.

In 1993, works revealed brick arcades hidden beneath the plaster. This discovery pushed the construction back to the Carolingian period. Excavations and studies carried out between 1996 and 2000 by a team of British archaeologists confirmed this dating and made the castle a site of national archaeological interest.

The museum opened on June 21, 2008, in a layout designed by the architect Philippe Madec. Its collections come mainly from the castle’s excavations. They are supplemented by objects from the former Museum of Mayenne, founded in 1865 and closed in 1975, and by a deposit from the Département de la Mayenne devoted to the Middle Ages.

Hoogtepunten

• Carolingian stone palace, around the year 900
• Objects from the castle excavations (1996–2000)
• Women’s prison room and medieval collections on deposit from the Département
• Treasure of the Saint-Léonard ford, from the former Museum of Mayenne
• Medieval-style garden and the Saint-Léonard chapel

Vaste collectie

• Collections permanentes du château – Objects from the castle excavations, elements of the former Museum of Mayenne and medieval collections on deposit from the Département, including the women’s prison room.

Opgericht

2008

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Gratis toegang: First Sunday of every month.

Free admission also for job seekers, press card holders, guides, and members of ICOM and AGCCPF. Accepted payment methods: cash, bank card, check, ANCV holiday vouchers, Découverte checks, Pass Culture and the e-Pass jeunes of the Pays de la Loire region.

Toegankelijkheid

• Deels rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift
• Aangepast toilet: geen informatie
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom: geen informatie
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The museum holds the Tourisme et Handicap label for motor, visual, hearing and intellectual disabilities; some areas of the castle may nevertheless pose difficulties. On request, wheelchairs, portable seats and illuminated magnifiers are lent, and induction loops are available. Reserved parking spaces are in the car park at Place Juhel, and a vehicle can drop off people with reduced mobility in front of the door. The “Cinéma” bus stop is not wheelchair accessible. An easy-to-read guide in French is offered for the current temporary exhibition.

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Verschoonruimte

“Mes vacances au musée” workshops for ages 5 to 12 and “Mes toutes petites vacances au musée” for ages 0 to 3, family events according to the program, playful booklets for children, and a changing table.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

The nearest station is in Laval, about 30 km away. Taxis drop visitors off at Place Juhel.

Service & horeca

• Museumwinkel
• Garderobe

Shop with replicas of museum objects, the castle medal and catalogs; tourist information at the reception; cloakroom and toilets on site; a microwave is available for families.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

Het museum heeft hierover geen informatie gepubliceerd.

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