Divided into six distinct areas, with magnificent bronze moucharabiehs filtering the sunlight through the windows, this modern museum with its sober, distinguished appearance offers a contemporary interpretation of the historical heritage of the Sourdins, the name given to the inhabitants of Villedieu-les-Poêles.
Using archival documents, maps and period objects, the museum takes us back to the town’s beginnings, with the installation of the first Commanderie Hospitalière on the territory.
The tour then moves on to the town’s economic development, thanks to the copper, copperware and lace industries that made Villedieu a town renowned for the quality of its craftsmanship. An area of the museum is also dedicated to Norman furniture, and more broadly to local wood species and the tools used in cabinetmaking.
Img 20240209 174535
Img 20240322 105705The museum also focuses on the Siena, a river that has played a crucial role in the city’s development, as well as contributing to its past and present identity. The permanent exhibition raises visitors’ awareness of the importance of preserving aquatic environments and endangered species, such as the wild salmon, which reappears in the Siena in March, after having sailed in Arctic waters.
Finally, the last space, dedicated to contemporary heritage, links the city of yesterday with that of today, and allows visitors to question the meaning that everyone can find in the perpetuation of different skills. Local companies such as Chaudrolux, Atelier du Cuivre and the Cornille-Havard foundry exhibit their finest pieces.
