Launch of studies 1997 (≈ 1997)
Start of feasibility studies.
1999
Choice of architect
Choice of architect 1999 (≈ 1999)
Andrea Bruno selected for the Master of Works.
2001
Start of work
Start of work 2001 (≈ 2001)
Construction of the museum.
1er juillet 2002
Opening of the museum
Opening of the museum 1er juillet 2002 (≈ 2002)
Official opening to the public.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Yves Pillet - Mayor of Pont-en-Royans
Initiator of the museum project.
Andrea Bruno - Architect
Master of works of the museum.
Bruno Vitte - Museum Director
Responsible for current management.
Origin and history
The Musée de l'eau de Pont-en-Royans is a museum located in the town of Pont-en-Royans, Isère, in the south of Grésivaudan, halfway between Grenoble and Valencia. This site was chosen for its historical link with the water, as the Bourne, which crosses the village, concentrates two thirds of the water resources of the Vercors. The museum, installed in old factories (a silk factory and then an electrical apparatus plant), aims to raise public awareness of the global issues related to water through an interactive and educational museum.
The idea of creating this museum was born under the impetus of Yves Pillet, then mayor of Pont-en-Royans, who launched feasibility studies in 1997. The architect Andrea Bruno was chosen in 1999 for the master's degree, and the works began in 2001. The museum opened on 1 July 2002. It also includes a hotel-restaurant, a water bar, a conference area and offices for the community of communes from the Bourne to Isère. Today, it is managed by a Public Industrial and Commercial Institution (EPIC).
The museum offers an immersive visit, symbolized by a huge pipe that guides visitors through different thematic rooms: the water cycle, water and the human body, water-related inventions, climates, pollution, and even natural disasters. A room is dedicated to water in Vercors, with an animated model and projections, while a partnership with a Senegalese village illustrates access to drinking water. A water bar serves water from around the world, with over 1,700 bottles exposed.
The entrance to the museum, conceived as a giant pipe, recalls the historic role of water in the building, formerly fed by forced pipes for silk production. Modern museography includes interactive devices, such as a dome projecting films on the water cycle, or a glass cylinder simulating different climates. A cinema room broadcasts 3D films, including one on a dam project in Senegal, highlighting the museum's commitment to solidarity initiatives.
The museum is part of an educational and fun approach, highlighting the importance of water for ecosystems and human societies. It builds on the local industrial history, where the hydraulic energy of the Bourne has long been exploited, and offers a reflection on the contemporary challenges associated with managing this vital resource.
