Gadagne, Museum complex in Vieux-Lyon, France
Gadagne is a Renaissance mansion in Lyon's old town with multiple exhibition rooms and staircases connecting different levels. The complex houses both a collection on Lyon's history and a collection of marionettes and puppet theater from around the world.
The site was occupied only sporadically between the 5th and 13th centuries; a substantial house stood here by the 14th century, owned by Guido d'Albant. The Pierrevive brothers rebuilt the property from 1489 to 1492, and the Florentine merchant-bankers Guillaume and Thomas III de Gadagne bought it in 1545, each occupying one of the two main wings. The city of Lyon acquired it in stages between 1902 and 1941, and it was classified as a historic monument in 1920.
The puppet museum displays marionettes and figures from various countries and traditions housed within the building's rooms. Visitors can see how this art form has played a role in local history and around the world.
The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday and offers reduced tickets for students and free entry for children. Note that there are wide, old staircases between floors, so accessibility may be limited in some areas.
The two Gadagne brothers quarrelled so badly that they divided the mansion between them, each occupying one of the two main wings. Their fortune gave Lyon the saying "riche comme Gadagne", and Thomas I de Gadagne helped pay part of the ransom for King Francis I, held prisoner after the Battle of Pavia in 1525.
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