Musée Gadagne

The Musée Gadagne is the history museum of Lyon, set in one of the finest Renaissance buildings in Vieux Lyon, between the Cathédrale Saint-Jean and the Place du Change, and it also houses a museum of puppets. The building, the Hôtel de Gadagne, was begun in the early sixteenth century and extended after 1530 by the Gadagne brothers, Florentine bankers who had settled in Lyon and who became among the richest men in France. At that time, Lyon was a great financial and trading city, with annual fairs that attracted merchants from across Europe, and Italian bankers were an important part of its life. The mansion, with its two courtyards, its galleries and its staircases, reflects the taste of Florence and was among the largest private houses in the city. It was classified as a historic monument in 1920, and after a large renovation the museums reopened in 2009.

Two institutions share the building. The Musée d'Histoire de Lyon, the history museum, tells the story of the city from antiquity to the present, with collections of about eighty thousand objects, including paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, maps, models and everyday objects. It shows how Lyon began as the Roman capital of Gaul, Lugdunum, how it prospered in the Renaissance through banking and printing, how the silk industry shaped the city and its working class, and how it played a role in political and social upheavals, from the uprisings of the silk weavers to the Resistance in the Second World War. The displays give context for understanding the streets of the old town outside the door.

The second museum is the Musée des Marionnettes du Monde, the museum of world puppets, which has a connection with Lyon's own tradition. The famous puppet Guignol was created in Lyon around 1808 by Laurent Mourguet, a silk worker turned showman, and he became a national figure, a cheeky character who comments on the powerful. The museum shows puppets and marionettes from many countries and periods, including Asia, Africa and Europe, and it is an enjoyable visit for children and adults.

The museum is open daily except Monday and some public holidays, with a closing time in the early evening, and entry is charged, with free entry for young people, job seekers and visitors with disabilities. There is a shop, a café and a garden with a view over the roofs, which is free to enter. The Vieux Lyon metro station is close.

It suits families, history lovers and anyone exploring the old town. Allow two hours or more.