Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Auvergne Regional Museum, dedicated to ethnology and popular traditions, is housed in a private hotel built from the 15th to the 18th century. Ranked a historic monument since 1928, this building preserves a Gothic gate at the end of the 15th century, adorned with arches and bell towers, as well as hammered badges. His collections, rich in more than 4,000 objects, cover archaeology, daily life in Auvergne (agriculture, viticulture, handicrafts) and contemporary works such as an installation by Jean-Paul Marcheschi.

Based on the contributions of the museumologist Georges Henri Rivière, the museum also celebrates the current issues of local populations. In 2019, he hosted the filming of Our Blue Ribbon by Wazoo for his 50th birthday. The institution thus combines material heritage (tools, works of art) and immaterial (knowledge, practices), reflecting the evolution of the Auvergne from centuries past to today.

The 15th-century Gothic Gate, classified in 1928, illustrates medieval civil architecture with its ground leggings and its sleek gauze. This element, the only vestige of this time in the building, bears witness to the original prestige of the mansion. The hammered shields suggest a noble or bourgeois history erased, while the bell towers recall the influence of religious styles in urban habitat.

The museum is part of a broad scientific and cultural approach, organizing exhibitions and events on other ethnic groups while anchoring its identity in the Auvergnat territory. Its official address, 61 rue du Commerce in Riom (Puy-de-Dôme), makes it a central place for the preservation and dissemination of regional heritage.

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