Timeline

Origin and history

The archaeological museum of Aix-les-Bains finds its origins in the former Lepic Museum, founded in 1872. The latter already housed local collections, enriched by a large series of stone objects from the Gallo-Roman period. These artifacts, along with other archaeological pieces, were relocated in 1948 to a part of the Roman temple called Diane, an emblematic monument of the city.

Much of the collections on display come from excavations around Lake Bourget, including sites occupied during the final bronze age. Major pieces include a marble torso, probably representing an emperor statured in Hercules, as well as religious, administrative or funeral inscriptions. These remains bear witness to the importance of the Roman Vicus d'Aquae (Aix-les-Bains) and its surrounding environment, providing insight into the daily life, beliefs and social organization of the time.

The museum benefits from the label Musée de France and is located in Maurice Mollard Square, in a building associated with a Roman temple listed as a Historical Monument. Its interest lies as much in the objects exposed as in the exceptional architectural setting that houses them. Lapidary collections, in particular, illustrate the rich ancient past of the region, marked by lasting Roman occupation and intense cultural exchanges.

The location of the museum, in the heart of Aix-les-Bains, a city known since Antiquity for its thermal springs, reinforces its historical anchor. The inscriptions and statues exhibited evoke the religious practices, administrative structures and funeral uses of the Vicus d'Aquae, while stressing the central role of this site in the Alpine region during the Roman period.

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