Allevard Museum: local heritage curator

The Musée d’Allevard, in the commune of Allevard-les-Bains, is a veritable treasure trove highlighting the rich local heritage built around major economic sectors such as thermalism, the steel industry and daily life in the Pays d’Allevard.

A journey through history

Despite its change of location and the major transformations it has undergone, the Musée d’Allevard has kept its collections and evidence of the past intact. With over 3,000 objects on display, the museum offers a fascinating insight into the history of the Pays d’Allevard, nestled in the heart of the Belledonne mountain range. Originally housed in the Maison des Forges before moving to the former casino, the museum continues to bring local history to life through a variety of intriguing objects.

Eloquent thematic collections

The thematic diversity of the Musée d’Allevard’s collections is its true wealth. From steelmaking to tourism, from agriculture to hydroelectricity and thermalism, each flagship object naturally finds its place in this cultural institution. Among these treasures are the 17th-century Dauphinoise horn from the blast furnace, the cold inhalation basin designed by Doctor Niepce, the Veyton turbine, and the first seats for the Collet chairlift.

Witness to a rich and diverse history

The Musée d’Allevard is the watchful guardian of the intense rural activity centered on livestock breeding, while also bearing witness to the Middle Ages, which breathed new life into the valley thanks to the development of metallurgy, supported by the iron mines of the Belledonne mountain range. Later, the museum evokes the rise of tourism, in particular the spa and ski industries. These precious activities contribute to the richness of the Belledonne range, and the Musée d’Allevard is passionate about preserving these treasures through objects, engravings, paintings and photographs, offering a fascinating exploration of local history.