Food for curious minds
With more than 20 museums, the city has a wide selection of places to visit, which means that the only difficulty is making a choice! Lyon’s museums focus on very different themes, so it all depends on the tastes and interests of your clients.
Museums that can only be found in Lyon
Musée des Tissus: With the number one collection devoted to textiles in the world, the museum presents 4500 years of textiles production. It offers a chance to discover the history of the silk industry in Lyon and the skills of the canuts (Lyon’s silk workers). Closed for renovation until 2026.
Musée Lumière: Located in the Lumière family home, which was built in 1899, the Musée Lumière retraces the story of the invention of the cinematograph. By perfecting photographic equipment and techniques, Auguste and Louis Lumière developed a new process in 1895 and cinema was born!
Museums that look at the history of Lyon
Lugdunum: Located next to Fourvière’s Roman theatre and odeum, the Lugdunum Museum explores Lyon’s ancient history through items that are representative of this amazing period. Sculptures, mosaics and everyday objects transport visitors back to Roman times!
Musée d’Histoire de Lyon: Housed in Lyon’s largest Renaissance building, this museum looks at the history of Lyon from the Middle Ages to the present time.
Centre d’Histoire de la Résistance et de la Déportation: Located in the former Gestapo headquarters, this museum pays tribute to Lyon, capital of the French Resistance, and retraces the history of the city during the Second World War through objects and eyewitness accounts from members of the Resistance.
Art museums
Musée des Beaux-Arts: In a former seventeenth-century abbey, the museum of fine arts boasts one of the most important collections of artworks in Europe (with works by masters such as Veronese, Rubens, Rembrandt, Poussin, Gauguin and Monet), ranging from Ancient Egypt to the present day.
Musée d’Art Contemporain: Exhibitions at the contemporary art museum feature artists from the international contemporary art scene. Please note that the museum is only open during exhibition periods.
Museums for the whole family
Musée des Confluences: Inaugurated in 2014, the Musée des Confluences offers a journey through the history of humanity in a futuristic building. Take your clients all the way back to the time of the dinosaurs, as they discover different species, human inventions and the beyond.
Musée des Arts de la Marionnette: This museum explores the art of puppetry. In the city of the famous French puppet Guignol, you can discover puppets from all over the world, past and present.
Musée Miniature et Cinéma: In a Renaissance building in the heart of the old town, film sets and places are recreated with miniature models, while retired film sets and costumes are given a new home. A perfect museum for the whole family!
TOP 5 most visited museums in Lyon:
1- Musée des Confluences
2- Musée des Beaux-Arts
3- Musée Lumière
4- Musée Miniature et Cinéma
5- Musée d’Art Contemporain (only open during exhibition periods
Entry to all of these museums is free with our special tourist pass – the Lyon City Card.
Places to discover
For days out as a family, these three places welcome kids and adults to dive down to the seabed, discover miniature worlds and explore space!
Mini-World: Covering 2500 m², three different worlds depict scenes of daily life with a touch of humour. Thousands of little characters go about their daily lives, hundreds of vehicles move around and magical lights mark the passing of day and night.
Planétarium: For those fascinated with space and infinity, the Planétarium offers total immersion with its exhibitions and astronomy sessions.
Aquarium: Where the Rhône and Saône meet, the Aquarium’s 40 tanks and 3500 fish from 300 species offer an amazing aquatic journey, from the surrounding rivers and lakes to the tropical waters.
National Memorial Prison of Montluc
Once the prison of Jean Moulin, Marc Bloch, the Children of Izieu and 8,000 Jews, French resistance fighters, Montluc, a German prison in the city of...
The Aquarium of Lyon
Ready to travel? The ocean in the heart of Lyon. From tiny damselfish to imposing sheatfish, delicate seahorses to mischievous clownfish, over 300...
Modern Art Museum (macLYON)
Thanks to its fully divisible interior, a new museum takes shape with each exhibition. Featuring previously unseen works and an exhibition area...
Resistance and Deportation History Centre (CHRD)
Symbolically housed in the former headquarters of the Gestapo, where Klaus Barbie hit, the CHRD is a strong and symbolic place in the service of...
Jean Couty Museum
It displays the work of Jean Couty (1907-1991), a Lyonnais painter whose fame extends far beyond Lyon, throughout the world.
Chocolate Museum of Lyon - Sève
This museum-manufacturing site, opened in October 2017 by Master Chocolatier Richard Sève in Limonest, France, is an absolute must for all chocolate...
Cinema and Miniature Museum
If you’re a film lover, then a visit to the Musée Cinéma et Miniature (Cinema and Miniature Museum) is a must! Housed in a magnificent Renaissance...
Puppetry Museum - Gadagne Museums
The Musée des Arts de la Marionnette (Musées Gadagne) has been fully redesigned!
Museum of the History of Lyon - Gadagne Museums
As of December 4th, 2019, the LHM (Lyon History Museum) is renewing its exhibition spaces and painting a portrait of Lyon.
The Planetarium
In the company of a scientific guide, take a journey through the cosmos to discover planets, stars and galaxies. Forteen different sessions are...
The International City of Gastronomy
On Saturday the 19th of October 2022, Grand Hotel-Dieu was buzzing with excitement: the Cité de la Gastronomie was opening!
French and Chinese New Institute of Lyon
Based in Lyon in 1921, the Franco-Chinese Institute was the first Chinese university outside China. Symbol of Sino-Lyonnaise relationship, the New...
Ampère House - Electricity Museum
French scientist André-Marie Ampère (1775-1836) spent his youth on his family's estate 10 miles northwest of Lyon. His mansion now houses the Museum...
Museum of firefighters of Lyon Rhône
Created in 1971, it is the largest fire service museum in France and perhaps Europe. It tells 250 years of history and is a place of remembrance for...
Mattelon Silk Workshop
Only in Lyon! Visit the hand loom family factory of Georges Mattelon, the famous master weaver. In this historic building, you’ll discover the story...
Cultural Institute of Judaism
The purpose of the ICJ (Institut Culturel du Judaïsme, i.e. cultural institute of Judaism) is to teach people about all the different aspects of...
Museum of Illusions
Enter the fascinating world of illusion where all the senses are turned upside down and nothing seems to be quite what it is...
Tomaselli Collection
Tomaselli is the place to discover an art collection dedicated to Lyon's creativity, and an exceptional venue for organising your events.
Carrefour des Cultures Africaines
As part of the opening of its new Sarraounia cultural space, the Carrefour des Cultures Africaines is presenting the exhibition Trésors d'Ailleurs...
Musée Lumière
Dedicated to the Cinématographe and the history of the Lumière family, the Musée Lumière looks back at the various technical creations of Louis and...
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