Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The museum of urban and social history of Suresnes (MUS) finds its origins in the collections gathered in 1887 by local scholars. Narcisse Meunier-Pouthot, a retired industrialist, studied the city's archives, while Edgar Fournier, a teacher, received an axe of flint from a student, triggering their interest in local history. In 1895, Dr Gabriel Gillard exhibited a first window in the wedding hall of the city hall, marking the beginning of public presentations. In 1900, a municipal commission formalized the project, enriched by donations from individuals and the parish priest of Saint-Leufroy church.

In 1926, a communal exhibition organized by Xavier Granoux and Octave Seron met with a success such as Mayor Henri Sellier created a permanent museum. Set up in 1928 in an old school, the museum focuses on local ethnography and urban history, including social urbanism of the 1920s and 1930s, illustrated by the Garden City and the Outdoor School. The Historical Society of Suresnes, founded in the same year, manages the collections, which are enriched with photographs, industrial objects and testimonies about everyday life. In 1953, the museum was reorganized by René Sordes and Georges Henri Rivière, integrating local folklore and geological history.

After several moves (notably in a pedestrian bridge in 1978, closed in 1998), the MUS moved to the former Suresnes-Longchamp station in 2013, built for the Universal Exhibition of 1889. This building, a symbol of local industrialization, is being renovated by Encore Happy to house 1,300 m2 of exhibitions. The museum journey highlights the industrial heritage (Coty parfumery, Olibet biscuitery, Blériot aviation) and social urban planning, with interactive models and olfactory terminals. Today the museum participates in heritage networks and develops digital content, as during the 2020 pandemic.

The MUS collections come from scholarly donations (such as Xavier Granoux's rich collection of cartoons) and individuals, covering various themes: 60,000 postcards, Lalique perfume bottles, Radiotechnique radio stations, and archives on Henri Sellier, a major figure in social planning. The museum also preserves testimonies of the wine-growing life and the senomarine factories, reflecting the evolution of Suresnes from a rural village to an industrial city. His current journey, structured in seven sequences, explores themes such as laundry, automobile, and hygienism, in connection with regional history.

The old station, acquired by the city in 2003, combines 19th century railway architecture (brick facade, slate roof) and a contemporary extension in tinted concrete. The project, budgeted at €10 million, incorporates vegetated spaces and sensory scenography. The MUS is part of national cultural events and offers educational activities, while valuing an urban heritage course of 21 masts marking the remarkable sites of Suresnes. Its current role is to preserve local memory while linking it to contemporary issues, such as social mix and architectural innovation.

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