Annexation of the Savoy 1860 (≈ 1860)
Permanent connection to France, the central theme of the museum.
vers 1865
Manufacture construction
Manufacture construction vers 1865 (≈ 1865)
Current museum building, former tobacco factory.
juillet 1991
Initial installation of the museum
Initial installation of the museum juillet 1991 (≈ 1991)
Opening in the south wing of the factory.
2008-2013
Renovation and museum reflection
Renovation and museum reflection 2008-2013 (≈ 2011)
Conservation work and new scenography.
1er mai 2013
Official reopening
Official reopening 1er mai 2013 (≈ 2013)
Inauguration of the museum in its present form.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Louis Buttin - Founder and collector
Has constituted the initial core of the collections.
Origin and history
The museum of Rumilly and Albanais, originally named the Albanais Museum, was founded by the association Les Amis du vieux Rumilly et de l'Albannais. He devoted himself to regional history, archaeology, decorative arts and industry, with a specialization on the genealogy of the princes of Savoy and the evolution of Savoy until his annexation to France in 1860. Its collections include weapons, portraits, ancient documents and objects related to the history of Rumilly and Albanais.
Originally, the museum was built around Louis Buttin's private collections, an art lover who brought together a remarkable collection of historical objects. Subsequently, donations from individuals and professionals enriched the funds: pottery, tools, plans, photographs and archives. These collections, initially dispersed, have been assembled and presented to the public since May 1, 2013, in the southern wing of the former Rumilly tobacco factory, an industrial building built around 1865 after the Savoyard annexation.
Between 2008 and 2013, extensive research, conservation and restoration work was carried out to rethink museography. The museum now offers a tour highlighting Rumilly's urban evolution, artistic representations and industrial heritage. The building itself, a former tobacco factory rehabilitated, bears witness to the economic history of the city. The site is labeled Musée de France and remains a key place to understand Savoyard and local identity.
The topics covered cover a broad spectrum: archaeology, fine arts (sculptures, religious art), ethnology (costumes, trades), military history (arms, uniforms), and technical sciences. The museum also questions the collective practices and memory of the inhabitants, offering a multidisciplinary vision of Albanais and its capital, Rumilly.
