Musée Stéphane-Mallarmé

The Musée Stéphane-Mallarmé in Vulaines-sur-Seine occupies the former home of the poet and is organized into three sections on the ground floor for temporary exhibitions and the library, with the reconstructed apartment upstairs showing his daily life. The collection includes personal items, manuscripts, furniture, books, photographs, and artworks by the poet and his painter and sculptor friends.

Mallarmé discovered this house in 1874 at Valvins and initially rented a small room for family visits before later taking more space for longer stays alone. After his death in 1898, his daughter purchased the house, which was classified as a historical monument in 1946 and opened as a museum in 1992 following its acquisition by the local department council in 1985 with all original furnishings intact.

The house held deep meaning for Mallarmé as a place where he could be with family and artist friends, spending time on the river and in the garden. This connection between the poet's everyday life and his creative work remains central to understanding his legacy today.

The museum maintains specific opening hours in the morning until noon and again in the late afternoon until around 5 PM, with extended hours to approximately 5:30 PM during summer. Check the website or contact ahead since the museum may be temporarily closed, and group visits require advance booking.

Mallarmé said he wished to become engaged to this house, revealing his profound emotional attachment to the place. The museum preserves this intimate bond between poet and home, making the connection tangible for visitors walking through the preserved rooms.