Compiègne municipal museums

▪▪▪ Musée Antoine Vivenel

This museum of fine art and archaeology was born of the generosity of a local patron of the arts, Antoine Vivenel (1799-1862), who amassed a large collection reflecting his taste for Antiquity and the Renaissance. As early as 1839, he donated all of this heritage to his home town and spent lavishly to create a model institution, the Musée des Études, housing more than 4,000 works of art, a plaster gallery and a free school for teaching the arts.
Since 1952, the museum has been housed in the mansion bequeathed to it by Count René Personne de Songeons, and has been enriched by various donations and the results of local archaeological digs. Spanning prehistory to the 19th century, its collections bear witness to the richness of European and non-European cultures.

▪▪▪ Saint-Corneille Cloister Museum

From the collections of the Musée Antoine Vivenel, a superb collection of religious sculptures from the medieval and Renaissance periods has been on display since 2012 in the renovated cloister of this former abbey.

▪▪▪ Musée de la Figurine

The large collections of figurines by Alfred Ternisien and Arthur de Marsy bequeathed to the town of Compiègne between 1901 and 1927, together with the huge diorama of the Battle of Waterloo created by Charles Laurent, encouraged the creation of a museum of historical figurines in 1949.
Transferred to the former Hôtel de la Cloche, the museum reopened in 1984 as the first museum of its size devoted to the world of historical figurines. It boasts a collection of almost 155,000 pieces, 45,000 of which are on display, providing a vast panorama of the history of France and Europe.

Find all the latest museum news on: www.musees-compiegne.fr

and on the facebook page Les musées de compiègne

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Museum news

▪▪▪ We're moving!

The town of Compiègne is planning to relocate and renovate the Musée de la Figurine, which has been closed since May 2024.

Located in the heart of the renovated École d'état-major district, the future museum will be housed in the historic building of the former officers' mess. It is due to open in early 2026.

▪▪▪ Historic immersion site

The Antoine Vivenel Museum was reopened to the public on Saturday 13 May 2023 at 8pm to mark European Museum Night.
This was an opportunity to discover the renovation of its reception area(the entrance is now via Songeons Park) and the creation of a multimedia space on the history of Compiègne (Site d'immersion historique or SIH).

This area offers visitors an account of the history of Compiègne and its region, through an introductory film and virtual visits to major sites via interactive stations. This is a self-guided experience to be enjoyed in the museum before exploring the region, thanks to the "exploration booklet" included with the admission ticket.

Prices :
SIH only: €4 / €3 concessions (free for children under 6)
SIH Pass musées: €7 / €5 concessions (free for children under 6)
Information: 03.44.20.26.04

■ Exhibitions

▪▪▪ O n the move with Joujoulac

Focus on rolling toys made of lacquered wood in the Compiègne region.

Exhibition closed, no new exhibition for the moment.

From the beginning of the 20th century until 1969, these locomotion toys were manufactured at the Lacroix-Saint-Ouen factory. Carefully lacquered wooden trucks, tractors, buses and boats made the brand famous. In 1956, the Toy Oscar even went to the wooden reproduction of the famous Citroën DS 19, a famous car model that celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. A testament to the industrial history of the Compiègne region.

Exhibition on the permanent tour of the Musée Antoine Vivenel
2 rue d'Austerlitz (entrance via Songeons Park), 60200 Compiègne

■ Sunday at the museum

Admission to Compiègne's museums is free on the first Sunday of every month.

▪▪▪ The dream of the Orient

Sunday 1 February 2026 at 3pm and 4.30pm

Guided tour of the Asian collections at the Musée Antoine Vivenel.

Admission to the museum and guided tours are free.

Booking required: 03.44.20.26.04

Antoine Vivenel Museum
2 rue Austerlitz
(Songeons park entrance)
60200 Compiègne

■ Activities at the museum

▪▪▪ Animation for families: Around the pots

Visit the archaeological collections followed by an introduction to Neolithic pottery.

Sunday 8 February at 3pm

Special price for the event:
3 euros per adult, free admission to the museum. Free for children under 18.
Equipment provided.

Reservations required (by phone only): 03.44.20.26.04

Antoine Vivenel Museum
2 rue Austerlitz
(Songeons park entrance)
60200 Compiègne

▪▪▪ Winter holidays at the museum

The little art experts: observe, study, repair

Workshop visit for young visitors.
During this activity, children can take on the role of a restorer from the museums of Compiègne. Visit followed by a hands-on workshop

For children aged 5 to 7
Tuesday 17 and Tuesday 24 February from 10am to 11.30am

For children aged 8 to 12
Tuesday 17, Thursday 19, Tuesday 24 and Thursday 26 February from 2pm to 4pm

Price: €6 per adult

Reservations required (by phone only): 03.44.20.26.04

Lapidary gallery of the Saint-Corneille cloister
9 rue Saint-Corneille
60200 Compiègne

Practical information

● Musée Antoine Vivenel
2 bis, rue d'Austerlitz
60200 Compiègne

● Musée du Cloître Saint-Corneille
9 rue Saint-Corneille
60200 Compiègne

● Musée de la Figurine
The museum is currently closed. Reopening in 2026

● Centre Antoine Vivenel
17 rue James de Rothschild
60200 Compiègne

For these four sites,
a single telephone number:
03 44 20 26 04
https://www.musees-compiegne.fr

The museums are closed on Mondays, January 1, May 1, July 14, November 1 and December 25.

The museums are open
tuesday, Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm;
wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 2pm to 6pm.

Admission:
▪▪▪ Full rate: €4
▪▪▪ Reduced rate: €3
▪▪▪ Free for under-26s, association members and the first Sunday of the month.
One-way ticket giving access to the Antoine Vivenel, Saint-Corneille Cloister and Historic Figurine museums.

Details on the Compiègne municipal museums website:
https://www.musees-compiegne.fr/information-pratique/horaires-acces-tarifs/

Updated on 20 January 2026

Association of Friends of the Museums
Antoine Vivenel et de la Figurine

aMAVFH 2010-2026

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