Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The National Museum of Health Insurance, inaugurated in 1989, is the only place in France dedicated to the conservation and transmission of the history of social protection. It offers an educational course on solidarity, from antiquity to modern social security, through various collections and thematic exhibitions. The museum is housed in the Château des Lauriers, a building built in 1860 by the Gradis family, Bordeaux shipowners of Portuguese origin.

The castle, acquired in 1948 by Gironde's Primary Health Insurance Fund (CPAM), was first converted into a house of convalescence before welcoming the museum. The collections come mainly from the SPAM girondine and other mutualist organizations, such as the Chamber of Trade Employees of Bordeaux, founded in 1869. The museum covers nine rooms, illustrating the evolution of social protection systems, from early legislation to contemporary reforms.

The Museum's missions include raising students' and the general public's awareness of the values of solidarity, as well as training new employees of Health Insurance. It highlights historical documents, objects related to the administration of social security, and various educational tools. The castle park, with its centuries-old trees, adds a heritage setting to this unique institution.

The permanent exhibition addresses topics such as the origins of mutuality, key reforms (1945, 1967, 1996), and technological evolution, from perforated map to modern computing. A room is dedicated to the health and social action of the sickness insurance funds, with prevention campaigns since the 1950s. The museum also plays a documentary role for the institution and hosts seminars.

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