Visit the Tarn museums!

In the museums of the Tarn, you will discover the remains of the Paleolithic and prehistoric periods. The Cathars also left a beautiful architectural and furniture heritage there. The Albigensian Crusade marked the territory and left many traces. Between Gascony and Rouergue, it is a land of rural traditions, with a mountainous character. After the Wars of Religion, class struggles were unleashed in the Tarn. Mining allowed the installation of many industries and the working population is large, leading to a strong social crisis at the end of the Second World War. This rich past promises beautiful cultural visits...

Museums on history and nature

The history of a region shapes its character. Knowing the major events, anecdotes from the past and the environment in which they took place will allow you to better understand the identity of this territory.

• Montans Archaeological Center : activities, workshops, reconstructions, conferences... This living museum takes you to the heart of the Gaillac vineyards to the Gallo-Roman site of production of sealed ceramics.
  
  
• Interpretation Center of the Statues-Menhirs in Murat : this is a history museum on the Neolithic period with these enigmatic stone statues, the menhirs, as its common thread.

• The Museum of Protestantism in Ferrières is both a museum of religious history, covering key events from the Reformation to the Dreyfus Affair, and a museum of Protestantism, covering Protestant practices and culture. It is very comprehensive and covers a wide range of social, political, and economic topics.
  
  
• Mazamet Cathar Museum : this is the museum to visit to learn everything about the Cathars : their history, their culture, their practices, the persecutions...
  
  
• Gaillac Natural History Museum : you will find a permanent collection on natural sciences, temporary exhibitions and a garden, activities and workshops.
  
  
• Charles-Portal Museum of Art and History, in Cordes-sur-Ciel : the entire history of Cordes-sur-Ciel, from prehistory to the 20th century, is present inside.

Museums about local life in the past and ancient know-how

Museums about life and trades of the past, customs and traditions, objects and everyday activities will put you in the mood for the culture of this region.

• Departmental mining museum, in Cagnac-les-Mines : in the former Carmaux-Cagnac mining basin, galleries and mining equipment have been recreated to put you in the shoes of a miner.
  
  
• Maison du Sidobre, in Le Bez : you enter the largest granite mining center in the world. You will be able to see the extraction, the particularities and the transformation of the Sidobre granite.
  
  
• Glass Museum, in Carmaux : glassmaking is part of local history and its use is still relevant today. This center is therefore both a museum and a space dedicated to contemporary art.
  
  
• Glass Museum, in Sorèze : it presents more than 2,600 pieces of old glass and offers you an overview of this ancestral know-how of blown glass.
  
  
• Saut du Tarn Museum, in Saint-Juéry : bringing together the metallurgical heritage of the former Talabot factory, it gives you an insight into the industrial era of the 19th and 20th centuries from the point of view of a worker of the time.
  
  
• Dom Robert Museum and 20th Century Tapestry, in Sorèze : the Sorèze abbey-school shows you the world of an innovative 19th century school and the contemporary works (drawings and tapestries) of Dom Robert.
  
  
• Classic Car Museum in Moulin-Mage : discover legendary cars from the 1920s to the 1970s.
  
  
• Space of Old Trades, in Saint-Sulpice : numerous tools and machines, old photographs tell you about the trades of yesteryear.
  
  
• Le Militarial, in Boissezon : the museum exhibits military equipment and documents in tribute to those who died for France and with the aim of a memorial for Peace.
  
  
• Maison des métiers du cuir, in Graulhet : this former tanning factory reveals a part of the industrial history of the region and explains the tanning industry by showing you how leather is worked.
  
  
• Maison de Payrac, in Nages : this museum opens the doors of an old traditional farm to allow you to appreciate peasant life in the Monts de Lacaune.

• The Galerie des Paniers, in Brassac : this gallery-house explains the ancestral know-how of basket weaving and the techniques used to create these baskets, which are both beautiful and useful.
  
  
• Copper Museum, in Dufort : you will see everyday objects from our grandparents such as cauldrons and other pots. Perfect for introducing you to this local copper craft.
  
  
• Departmental Textile Museum, in Labastide : this former 19th century textile factory presents the production of a textile, from carded wool to the finished product.
  
  
• The Dream of the Past Museum, in Ronel : it’s an immersion in the countryside, in the good old days, thanks to miniatures, automatons, everyday objects from yesteryear !

• Academy of Miniatures and Small Snacks, in Albi : the artist tells you about his childhood through miniatures of buildings and interiors. A playful and magical world of dollhouses.
  
  
• House of Wood and Toys, Mazamet : in the heart of the Montagne Noire forest, you follow the path of wood, from tree to toy...
  
  

Mining heritage in Cagnac-les-Mines

Carmaux Glass Museum

Museums to discover great men...

The Tarn has seen the birth of great men and welcomed famous artists. Museums reveal their works and pay tribute to them.

• Jean Jaurès National Center and Museum, in Castres : discover this politician, teacher, philosopher, journalist…
  
  
• Goya Museum, in Castres : it brings together numerous Spanish paintings, in particular by the painter Goya.
  
  
• Lapérouse Museum, in Albi : this Albi navigator takes you with him on his many voyages around the world.
  
  
• Museum for All, by Raphaël Cordoba, in Albi : it is a tribute to this Spanish painter, with an atypical career.
  
  
• Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, in Albi : this museum is dedicated to the varied works of this Albi native, painter, designer, poster artist, lithographer...
  
  

Albi

Toulouse Lautrec Museum located in the Palais de la Berbie

Art in all its forms

The Tarn has a long history, a magnificent environment, and authentic inhabitants. This special atmosphere has inspired many artists. You'll be amazed!

• Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Cordes-sur-Ciel : this museum covers contemporary art of the 20th century, through its different movements.
  
  
• Saint-Michel Abbey Museum, in Gaillac : religious art, folk art and companionship are covered, as well as archaeological works and works on the theme of the vine.
  
  
• Museum of Fine Arts, Gaillac : oils, drawings, paintings, sculptures... It is a complete museum for lovers of fine arts.
  
  
• Rabastinois Country Museum, in Rabastens : this is a museum of classical art, with Gallo-Roman mosaics, paintings and sculptures, from sacred art and local works.
  
  
• Raymond Lafage Museum, in Lisle-sur-Tarn : you will find engravings and glassware there.
  
  
• Le Lait Art Center, in Albi : it is a place of research and dissemination which works for the influence of contemporary art.
  
  

Museums on local gastronomy

One last must-see category in the Tarn: gastronomy , of course! Here are the museums for foodies of all ages.

• Chocolate Art Museum, in Lisle-sur-Tarn : a mixture of art and chocolate can be found in this museum, between sculpture and delicacy.

• InVINcibleVIGNErons Museum, in Broze : it shows you a rich collection of wine-growing and antique tools for working the vines and making wine.
  
  
• Museum of Sugar and Chocolate Arts, in Cordes sur Ciel : sugar and chocolate sculpture will no longer hold any secrets for you, nor will the history of these sweets.
  
  
• House of the History of Charcuterie, in Lacaune : discover Lacaune charcuterie in the traditional Oberti charcuterie, its history, its manufacturing processes and good products to taste.
  
  

The Museum of Chocolate Arts in Lisle-sur-Tarn

That concludes our tour of the Tarn's museums. Whatever your area of interest, you're sure to find something to satisfy your curiosity, discover new things, learn new things, and learn plenty of anecdotes on all these topics.

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Article written by Stéphanie Tempier for the Tarn Aveyron Guide.