For a small entrance fee, the Musée Palaisien du Hurepoix whisks visitors on a journey back in time! The museum is inside the Hotel Brière and the it is an opportunity to learn about the customs and traditions in France at the turn of the 20th century. The current collection mainly comprises donations from local residents, ancient workshops or shops (mainly in Palaiseau) looking to give these items a new lease of life.
Damien's experience
“I highly recommend coming to visit this Aladdin's cave of Hurepoix, brimming with treasures."
In this museum, visitors can see different scenes from daily life: the carpenter working wood, the clockmaker's meticulous techniques and the dressmaker creating beautiful garments. These scenes are illustrated using dummies so that visitors can really imagine what life was like at this time. The collection is impressive, and the sets illustrating various scenes are wonderfully detailed.
These scenes whisked me back to my childhood as I saw some objects that my grand-parents still have in their homes today. The big steel laundry tub, the sickle and the wooden plane really stirred up memories for me.
The solid wood staircase leading to each floor is really magnificent. It still features the marks of the various craftsmen who have worked on it over the years.
We explore each room and admire the collections of farming equipment, earthenware, clothing from this era and other curiosities. Each object has a story behind it, and the volunteers, who are so essential in the running of the museum, are there to tell them.
A team of energetic volunteers very quickly plunge visitors into the experience. There is a very friendly, welcoming atmosphere. The volunteers are united in their passion to pass on their knowledge to future generations and share the treasures of this museum. Martine, our guide for the day, has been working here for more than 10 years. For her, this place is somewhere she can come to escape from the worries of daily life.
Just like in an ant farm, we can see the volunteers hard at work, some carrying ancient tools, others with a plane ready to work on pieces. It is a very lively place, and that's what I like so much about it.
The tour ended there. If I had to choose one room in particular that left an impression, it would have to be the scene representing bourgeoisie, for the quality of the decoration and the lavish clothing. Not-to-mention the wallpaper with the authentic 'toile de Jouy' pattern.
The story took place in 1631 in Palaiseau when a servant was sentenced to death on suspicion of stealing silverware from her master's house. She denied any involvement in this theft but she was executed all the same.
A few years later, all the stolen objects were found in a magpie's nest, therefore proving her innocence.
In 1817, Rossini took inspiration from this true story to create the famous Italian opera, entitled 'The Thieving Magpie'. Rossini then went on to inspire Hergé in Tintin, the Castafiore Emerald.
Musée Palaisien du Hurepoix
5 Place de la Victoire
91120 Palaiseau
Tel. 01 69 31 45 70
Website : www.musee-palaisien-du-hurepoix.fr
Musée Palaisien du Hurepoix
