“Since entry has been free, we have seen visitors flocking again and that’s a pleasure,” appreciates Cédric, who works at the Figurine Museum of Compiègne for around ten years. For this figurine and model enthusiast, the site, open since 1984, allows an original approach by illustrating major periods of history using miniature characters.
Among the visitors, many families with children whose nostalgic parents came when they were younger. Each year, around ten thousand visitors pass through the doors and who, at the end of the visit, do not forget to leave a note in the guestbook. However, soon the corridors will be empty. At the end of April, the museum will close its doors to the public to prepare for its move. Reopening hoped for 2026.
“Modernize the museum”
“I can’t wait until we move,” says Cédric. The museum will move to the ground floor of the old staff school, freshly renovated. This project, in the town hall’s boxes for several years, will finally see the light of day. “We plan to open in the spring of 2026,” hopes culture assistant Arielle François, for whom the free access to the museum before its closure is “like a farewell wink.”
At least two years will be needed to move the approximately 150,000 figurines from the municipal collection to their new location. Tedious archiving work has already begun. Each figurine will have to pass through it before finding its place for reopening.
To continue dismantling the models and sending the parts, it is necessary to close the museum. After the move, Compiègne town hall, still looking for space, will reclaim the premises. In the meantime, Cédric will be assigned to another department in the town hall. He should again take care of the future site as soon as it opens.
Until today, 50,000 figurines could be exhibited in the 500 m2 of the current museum, or only a third of the total collection. The new premises, twice as large, will allow more pieces from the collection to be showcased.
“This is an opportunity to modernize the place to make it more attractive, especially among young people,” hopes Cédric. Lights, sounds, 3D projections or even augmented reality, here are the new features that could be integrated into the future museum. Without losing sight of the historical aspect of the pieces, this technological contribution would improve the visitor experience.
