The top 5 must-see museums in Angoulême

The Charente Guide takes you to Angoulême to explore the city's museums. The city is often known for its status as the world capital of comics, a reputation it has built thanks to its internationally renowned festival.

Yet, the city of ramparts is much more than just a playground for the 9th art. It is full of unsuspected treasures, hidden behind its ancient stones and along the banks of the Charente. This article offers you our selection of five must-see museums for a unique immersion in the heart of Angoulême's heritage and culture.

1. The Angoulême Museum

Located in the heart of the upper town, the Angoulême Museum is a true cultural institution. Its rich collections offer a delightful journey through time and world cultures. It is the ideal place to explore history and the arts through works of archaeology, ethnography and fine arts.

Don't miss the impressive collections of non-European art, including masks, statues, and ritual objects. In addition, the region's prehistoric and Gallo-Roman remains, such as the famous Agris helmet, are must-sees that bear witness to local history.

2. The Comic Strip Museum

A must-see in Angoulême, the Comic Strip Museum is a unique place in France and Europe, entirely dedicated to the 9th art. Located on the banks of the Charente, its bold architecture is a work of art in itself. The museum traces the history of comics from its origins to its most contemporary forms. It highlights the original plates of the great masters of the genre, the different inking and coloring techniques as well as the various artistic movements that have marked comics.

If you want to return regularly, the temporary exhibitions allow you to have a fresh look at specific authors or themes.

3. The Paper Museum

Angoulême was once the capital of the paper industry. The Charente city now celebrates this heritage at the Paper Museum.

Housed in the former Nile factory, this museum immerses you in the fascinating history of papermaking. From the transformation of pulp to the creation of sheets, it traces the evolution of techniques and the importance of this industry for the region.

The museum also offers demonstrations of artisanal manufacturing, a fun and educational experience that allows visitors to better understand this ancestral know-how. Discover the diversity of papers used for printing, art or comics, linking them to the creative identity of Angoulême.

4. The FRAC Poitou-Charentes

The FRAC (Regional Contemporary Art Fund) Poitou-Charentes is a reference for today's art lovers. It is not a museum in the classic sense, but an institution whose mission is to build a collection of contemporary works of art, to disseminate it and make it accessible to all. The FRAC regularly offers temporary exhibitions highlighting emerging and established artists, which guarantees a constantly renewed and surprising visitor experience.

A visit to the FRAC is an opportunity to discover the most daring works of contemporary art. The art museum stands out for its educational approach, with guided tours, workshops, and meetings with artists.

5. The Charente Resistance and Deportation Memorial Space

Housed in the former Hôtel Saint-Simon, this space of contemplation is a place of capital importance for the memory of Charente. It pays a vibrant tribute to the men and women who fought against the occupier during the Second World War. Through period documents, photographs, testimonies and personal objects, the museum retraces the actions of the local Resistance and the tragic fate of the deportees.

The site invites reflection and emotion. The scenography, sober and respectful, allows one to immerse oneself in this dark page of history without miserabilism and to better understand the courage and self-sacrifice of those who fought for freedom.

We have just taken a tour of the must-see museums in Angoulême together. The order of the museums is for guidance only.

If you are still in the Charente town for a few days, here are some ideas for visits:

• Our must-sees for a weekend in Angoulême ;
• Explore the Charente by bike ;
• A royal day in La Rochefoucauld.

Did you like our article? Find more in our " Experiences to Live " section.

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