Musée de la Cour d'Or, Historical and art museum in Metz, France
The Musée de la Cour d'Or occupies the presumed site of the palace of the Austrasian kings in central Metz, spread across the former Petites Carmes abbey, the 15th-century Chèvremont granary and the Trinitaires church. Its rooms hold Gallo-Roman baths preserved in situ, a Gothic grain loft, a Baroque chapel and reconstructed medieval interiors, including the façade of the maison des Têtes and the jubé of the Grands-Carmes convent.
The museum was founded in 1839 and expanded its collections in the 1930s when excavations beneath the building uncovered extensive Roman thermal baths. This discovery shaped the museum's holdings and the understanding of the region as a center of Roman activity.
The name La Cour d'Or refers to the palace of the kings of Austrasia, whose site the museum is thought to occupy. Since 2018 visitors enter through the baroque chapel of the Petits-Carmes, which housed the city library until 1977. The Chèvremont granary, a 15th-century municipal attic, now displays medieval sculpture beneath 13th- and 14th-century painted ceiling panels.
The building spans several connected spaces, so it helps to grab a floor plan at the ticket counter. Visitors should allow time to wander through the different areas, as the layout invites exploration.
The museum houses an ancient altar dedicated to Mithras and a Jupiter column showing how people in this region worshiped their gods during Roman times. These objects are rare and give visitors a direct window into religious life from 2000 years ago.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,490 contributors worldwide.
