Gadagne Museums

In the heart of Lyon’s historic Saint-Jean quarter, the Musée Gadagne is housed in a 15th-century mansion built by the Pierrevive family (Italian merchants) and later occupied by the Gadagne family (wealthy Italian bankers), for whom it is still named. The buildings have been extensively altered over the centuries, before being listed as a historical monument in 1920. In 1921, they became the home of the Musée Historique de la Ville de Lyon, together with the Musée de la Marionette (the museum of world puppetry) in 1950. Following archaeological excavations and a lengthy restoration programme, the museum reopened in 2009 with new displays reflecting the multifaceted history of the city of Lyon, and the site’s rich heritage, from the building itself to the Renaissance-style gardens, accessed from the museum’s top floor. Once a residence of some of Lyon’s most influential families, Gadagne today is home to a range of accounts that illuminate the layers of Lyon’s history. manifesto of fragility inserts traces of fragile individuals and stories that are often overlooked in the context of such larger historical narratives.