Écomusée du Haut-Beaujolais, Museum in Thizy-les-Bourgs, France
The écomusée du Haut-Beaujolais is a museum in Thizy-les-Bourgs, in the Rhône department of France, housed in a former textile and blanket factory. The displays include original machines, old photographs, and tools that trace the industrial past of the Haut-Beaujolais area.
The factory that now houses the museum produced blankets and textiles for over a hundred years before closing in the early 1980s. From 1994, the Patrimoine Haut-Beaujolais association took over the site and turned it into a regional museum, which had to close in 2013 due to building damage.
The écomusée du Haut-Beaujolais centers on the textile industry that shaped daily life for many families in the area. One section focuses specifically on women who worked in the workshops, giving a close look at their role in the factory's everyday routines.
The museum has been undergoing renovation since February 2024, with reopening planned for September 2025. It is worth checking the current status before planning a visit, as access may be limited during the works.
Some of the original weaving machines in the collection are up to about 56 feet (17 meters) long and were restored by volunteers. After the reopening, several of them are planned to run during visits, so visitors can see them in action.
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