Musée des Confluences, Lyon

No reviews yet One of 178 Things to Do in France
86 quai Perrache, 69002 Lyon, France Website
Tickets & admission
Claim Flag
Overview Highlights Location Tickets Policies Reviews Q&A Missing some information? Yes /
In short

Lyon's museum of science and societies sits where the Rhône meets the Saône, in a Coop Himmelb(l)au building opened in 2014 with about 2.2 million items. A day ticket is €12, or €7 reduced, and covers every exhibition. It opens 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM except Mondays, with a 10 PM late opening on the first Thursday. Plan two to three hours.

The Musée des Confluences is a museum of science and human societies at 86 quai Perrache in Lyon, built at the southern tip of the Presqu'île where the Rhône and the Saône meet. It covers natural history, earth sciences and anthropology under one roof, and it suits families, students and anyone with half a day to spend in Lyon's Confluence district.

The site was long given over to railway yards and industry before the area was redeveloped. In 2001 the Austrian firm Coop Himmelb(l)au won the design competition. Its partner Wolf D. Prix called the concept a crystal cloud of knowledge: a glass entrance hall, the Crystal, joined to a metal-clad block, the Cloud, which appears to float above the ground and holds the exhibition rooms. Construction ran long and over budget, and the museum opened in December 2014.

The collections have been built up since the 17th century and now hold more than two million objects. Four permanent exhibitions, laid out over about 3,000 square metres, are built around large questions. Origins looks at the beginnings of the universe and of life. Species examines the place of humans among other living things. Societies covers how people organise, trade and build. Eternities looks at how cultures across the world treat death and what follows it.

The displays mix disciplines on purpose. A meteorite may sit near a fossil, a mounted animal or a ritual mask from another continent, and large skeletons share space with tools and clothing. Several temporary exhibitions run alongside the permanent ones, so there is usually something new even on a repeat visit.

The building has a rooftop terrace with views over the rivers, and the garden at the point of the confluence makes a good finish. A brasserie and a café sit inside, along with a shop and a cloakroom.

Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change

Checked against trusted sources:
Ville de Lyon

See the source
  1. Ville de Lyon: Musée des Confluences
–/5 No reviews yet
Been here? Your review helps other travellers.
Key information
🏛️Type: Science and anthropology museum
📐Architect: Coop Himmelb(l)au; opened December 2014
🌊Site: Tip of the peninsula where the Rhône and Saône meet
🦴Collection: Over two million objects: natural history, ethnography, science
💰Currency: Euro (€ EUR)
🕕Time Zone: Central European Time (UTC+1; UTC+2 in summer)

Explore the area

View in a map
Confluence shopping district 1 km
Lyon Perrache station 2 km
Place Bellecour 3 km
Lugdunum Museum 4 km
Musée des Confluences tram stop (T1) outside
See all about this area
✦ Plan your visit to Musée des Confluences, Lyon Dates, opening hours and how to get there are below. Booking ahead secures your preferred day.
Highlights Include:
Permanent exhibitions
  • Origins: stories of the world
  • Species: the web of life
  • Societies and Eternities
Building
  • Glass "crystal" atrium
  • Steel "cloud" over the galleries
Outside
  • Rooftop terrace
  • Riverside garden at the confluence
What They Offer
Late opening First Thursday of the month until 10:00 PM
Dining Brasserie and café
Garden Free riverside garden
Visit duration 2–3 hours
Timed entry required No

Accessibility

Fully accessible with lifts.

Age limits

None.

What to pack

Ticket on your phone, ID for reduced or free entry

What to wear

Comfortable shoes

Not allowed

Touching the works, food and drink in the galleries, flash photography, large bags, selfie sticks

Amenities

Brasserie, café, shop, cloakroom, restrooms

Tips for visiting Musée des Confluences, Lyon

  • Arrive at opening time on weekends and school holidays to avoid queues.
  • Allow at least three hours for the four permanent exhibitions.
  • Take tram T1, which stops at the door.
  • Visit the rooftop terrace for views of the two rivers.
  • Use the free entry if you are under 18 or a student aged 18 to 25.

Admission tickets

Prices and how to get tickets.

Official entry ticket

Musée des Confluences: Entry

Official ticket for permanent and temporary exhibitions.

  • Permanent exhibitions
  • Temporary exhibitions
Ticket prices

€12 full price (valid for the day, permanent and temporary exhibitions), €7 reduced (including working young people aged 18–25); free for young visitors and several other groups; annual pass €23

Opening hours

Open now · 10:30 AM - 6:30 PM · Last entry About 1 hour before closing

All opening hours

Visitor policy

Check availability
Cancellation and prepayment
Tickets are generally non-refundable; check the museum's booking terms.
Children and admission
Under 18s enter free.
Groups
Groups must book in advance with the museum.
Pets
Only assistance dogs are admitted.
Photography
Personal photography without flash is generally allowed in the permanent collection; some temporary exhibitions forbid it.
Bags
Large bags and suitcases must be left in the cloakroom or are refused; bags are checked at the entrance.
Smoking
Not permitted inside the museum.
Accepted payment
Online or at the desk by card.
Contribute:

Travelers are asking

Still looking?

Our team answers questions here

Stay in France

Where to stay near Musée des Confluences, Lyon

Hotels closest to Musée des Confluences, Lyon, nearest first, so you spend less time on the road and more time there.

Lyon

Cour des Loges Lyon, A Radisson Collection Hotel5-star hotel

No reviews yet

3.6 km from Musée des Confluences

from$255.00/ night
  • Free WiFi
  • Swimming pool
  • Car park
4 Rooms available Book Now
CHECK ALL

Explore by Theme

Find your kind of trip: 24 travel themes, from Museums, Beaches, Art Galleries.

Museums Beaches Art Galleries Heritage
Landmarks UNESCO World Heritage Kids Zone Monument Palaces Wildlife (Zoo) National Parks Church (Christianity) Islands Parks Botanical Gardens Cliffs Education Forts Walkway Caves Entertainment Parks Hills Statue Theaters
CHECK ALL

Top things to do nearby

More of Lyon.

France

Sainte-Marie de La Tourette

Church (Christianity) UNESCO World Heritage

Sainte-Marie de La Tourette is a Dominican priory designed by Le Corbusier at 760 Route de La Tourette in Éveux, near L'Arbresle, about 25 kilometres north-west...

No reviews yet
More info Explore destination

France

Musée de Grenoble

Museums Art Galleries

The Musée de Grenoble is the city's fine arts museum, at 5 place Lavalette on the bank of the Isère in Grenoble, in the French Alps. Its permanent collection, f...

No reviews yet
More info Explore destination

France

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon

Museums Art Galleries

The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon is one of the oldest museums in France, housed in the Palace of the Dukes and Estates of Burgundy on Place de la Libération in...

No reviews yet
More info Explore destination
CHECK ALL

Save time: create a trip and get offers from locals

Tell us where and when you want to go, and local travel experts send you offers for your trip.

1 Create a trip 2 Get offers from locals 3 Pick the one you like
Create a trip
Need help?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Answers based on the museum's official information.

General

It is a museum of science and societies. Its collections cover natural history, earth sciences and anthropology, shown in four permanent exhibitions on origins, species, societies and beliefs about death, plus several temporary shows.