Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Musée du Papier d'Angoulême came into being in 1970, when the Municipal Museum acquired 200 pieces related to Charentaise paper and stationery from the Lacombe, master-papetier and scholar collection. These objects, reflecting the historical importance of this local industry, mark the starting point for the collections of the future museum. The systematic formation of the latter began in 1986, with purchases and donations centred on paper, stationery and related industries such as mechanics and printing.

The museum was established in 1988 in the buildings of the former stationery Joseph Bardou-Le Nile, closed in 1972 after two centuries of intense industrial activity (XIX-XX century). This site, located on the Charente river, once housed stationery, breweries and printing, reflecting the economic dynamism of the Saint-Cybard district. The buildings, renovated from 1983 onwards, form a bridge between Rue de Bordeaux and the island of Saint-Cybard, thus preserving the memory of the papermaking techniques and their evolution.

On two levels, the museum presents the history of paper and its industrial manufacture, with remains such as a blade wheel or valves illustrating the use of hydraulic energy. The exhibitions also explore local industries and the varied uses of paper, from watermarked samples (XVII-XX century) to advertisements or packaging. The documentary fonds includes cigarette paper, commercial illustration and papermaking techniques, highlighting the key role of Angoulême in this technical and artistic heritage.

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