Visiting Tours? Let yourself be inspired with its eclectic museums!
Nestled in the Loire Valley, the town offers a cultural offering full of surprises! In addition to the unmissable Musée des Beaux-Arts, you can enjoy a host of varied exhibitions ranging from contemporary art and photography to literature and arts and crafts.
In this article, we give you all our photo tips for visiting the museums of Tours and having a great time!
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
The best museums in Tours: tips
Discover our 5 favorite museums in Tours! The range of museums on offer is as varied as it is exciting, with something for everyone:
- Art in all its forms at the Musée des Beaux-Arts,
- Craft skills at the Musée du Compagnonnage,
- Photography at the Château de Tours,
- Contemporary art at CCC OD or Hôtel Goüin,
- And even literature and meditation at the Prieuré Saint-Cosme!
Close to some of the most beautiful châteaux in the Loire Valley, the town also has many other treasures to offer! Read our article "What to do in Tours " for lots of great ideas.
To benefit from discounts on a selection of cultural activities and events, the city offers the Tours City Pass. Valid for 24 or 48 hours, it gives access to numerous museums and the Châteaux of Villandry and Azay-Le-Rideau.
Book your pass here!
1. Museum of Fine Arts
Why visit it? Our review
A must-see destination for art lovers, you won't be disappointed by the remarkable collections ranging from the Renaissance to the 20th century. And let's not forget the captivating thematic exhibitions, which allow you to take a fresh look at the works! Take time to appreciate the architecture of the former bishop's palace, not forgetting the elegant French garden.
Our 3 favorite moments
- Stroll through the magnificent rooms of the palace , decorated with 18th-century furniture.
- Discover the rooms devoted to bold, singular 20th-century works.
- Meditate in front of the garden's majestic Cedar of Lebanon, planted in 1804.
Useful tips
- Access: Downtown
- Length of visit: Between 1h and 3h
- Guided tours and workshops for children
- Difficulties: none, but floors inaccessible to PRMs
- Opening hours: Wednesday to Monday, 9am to 6pm
- Prices: €8.40 (adults)/ Free (children under 26)
- Link to the official museum website here.
Look out for our article on the Tours MBA in the near future.
WHERE TO STAY IN Tours
In the city center
Enjoy the city, its restaurants and beautiful architecture.
- Hotel Ferdinand - check prices, pictures and availability
- Hôtel du Cygne - check prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel L'Adresse - check prices, pictures and availability
Near the station and around the city center
An early train? Or just a little more peace and quiet? Here are our recommendations:
- Hotel Les Trésorières - 5 stars - check prices, pictures and availability
- Aparthotel Central Parc Tours - check prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Oceania L'Univers Tours - check prices, pictures and availability
In the countryside around
Looking for a bit of peace and quiet, without straying too far from the city of Tours? Here's our suggestion:
- Hotel Domaine de la Tortinière - 20 min away - check prices, pictures and availability
- Hotel Troglododo - unusual 25min away - check prices, pictures and availability
2. Compagnonnage Museum
Why visit it? Our review
Located in the former Saint-Julien Abbey in Tours, we loved this original museum which focuses on Compagnonnage over the centuries.
Through a rich collection of tools, souvenir paintings and archives, the museum offers a fascinating immersion in the history and traditions of the journeymen, these craftsmen whose talent is now listed as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by Unesco.
Our 3 favorite moments
- Have fun learning through demonstrations and interactive workshops.
- Discover the room of the trades of mouth: with impressive sculptures carried out with food, like the model of the Hospices de Beaune in noodles!
- Marvel at the "wood" collection: with the virtuoso creations of journeymen carpenters.
Useful tips
- Access: Downtown
- Length of visit: Between 1h and 2h
- The children's programme is particularly well-supplied, with guided tours, games and workshops to be found here.
- Opening hours: Every day except Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Prices: €6.40 (normal) and €3.20 (reduced)
- Watch for museum news on the official website here
See more photos and anecdotes in our dedicated article (coming soon).
3. Center d'art contemporain Olivier Debré - CCC OD
Why visit it? Our review
This contemporary art museum is already worth a visit for its architecture, designed by Portuguese architect Manuel Aires Mateus. The center also offers a unique platform for discovering the young contemporary art scene. Mediators are even present in the exhibitions to accompany you and help you better understand the context of the works or the world of these innovative artists.
Our 3 favorite moments
- Exhibitions are temporary at the Centre Olivier Debré. So you'll appreciatethe new forms and themes on every visit!
- Discover the world of Olivier Debré, a 20th-century French abstract painter whose works are on display at the museum.
- Take a break at Café de Paula, where you'll find cheerful, simple cuisine and a waffle in the spotlight! More info on the website here.
Useful tips
- Access: Downtown
- Length of visit: 30min to 2h depending on the exhibition
- Offer for children: Family visits and art workshops are available all year round. Follow the program here
- Difficulties: None! PRM access, wheelchairs and canes available from reception on request
- Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm and Saturday until 7 pm
- Prices: €8.50 (adults), €5.50 (concessions), free (under 18s)
- Link to the official museum website here
OUR TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN Loire
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars - one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a fairly compact car (many villages have narrowed the road).
- Think aboutfull insurance (parking in big cities is really tight).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
4. Le Prieuré Saint-Cosme (10min drive)
Why visit it? Our review
The Prieuré Saint-Cosme is the unexpected highlight of our stay in Tours! A veritable heritage treasure, it will delight history buffs, contemplatives in search of serenity and poetry lovers alike.
In addition to the remarkable staging of its remains, this religious edifice and writer's house stands out for its incredible collection of gardens and its trail centered on the poetry of Ronsard, the famous 16th-century poet.
Our 3 favorite moments
- Rediscover Ronsard's work: read the various poems, listen to the carefully selected sound extracts and situate Ronsard in the French literary landscape thanks to the mediation devices.
- Strolling through the garden in total tranquility: we loved feeling out of time, away from the world, in the various green spaces on the site.
- Wander through the remains of the Priory, whose earliest traces date back to the year 1000.
Useful tips
- Access: 3km from Tours, 9min by car or 20min by bus from the train station
- Length of visit: 1 to 2 hours, depending on how you feel!
- Difficulties: Partially sandy floor and 2 flights of stairs up to the dwelling (inaccessible to wheelchair users).
- Offer for children: guided tour booklets, interactive desks, themed workshops
- Prices: €6 (adults)/€5 (children aged 7 to 18)
- Times: Depending on the season, times vary from 10 a.m. to 5 or 7 p.m.
- Catering: The priory has a refreshment bar (hot and cold drinks) and a picnic area.
- More information on the official website here
Find out more in our article dedicated to Prieuré Saint-Cosme.
A LITTLE MORE patience
All the photos, maps, information, good addresses to make your stay in the Loire Valley a success, will soon be gathered in a single ebook!
If you wish to be informed of the publication of our guide on the Loire, register:
5. Tours Castle
Why visit it? Our review
Quite different from the classic Châteaux de la Loire, the Château de Tours is well worth a visit for its contemporary art exhibitions! In the setting of an ancient medieval castle, you'll have the pleasure of discovering world-renowned photographic works thanks to a partnership with the famous Jeu de Paume museum in Paris.
Our 3 favorite moments
- The château offers temporary exhibitions: let yourself be surprised by the different displays each month.
- We also really enjoyed the floors devoted to independent artists selected by a jury assembled by Château de Tours.
- Escape the museum and take a stroll along the Loire on the nearby quays!
Useful tips
- Access: Downtown
- Length of visit: 30min to 1h depending on the scale of the exhibits
- Difficulties: None, but apart from the first floor, the other three exhibition levels are inaccessible to wheelchair users.
- Offer for children: no special arrangements
- Opening hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m.
- Prices: €4.50 (adults)/Free (children under 26)
- Link to the official museum website here.
Find out more in our dedicated article.
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Children's museums in Tours
All of Tours' museums can be visited with your children, with a preference for the playful Musée du Compagnonnage and Musée d'Histoire Naturelle (more info here). However, if you're looking to surprise your children, we recommend L'Aquarium de Touraine, a 30-minute drive from Tours.
Why visit the Aquarium de Touraine? Our review
The aquarium offers a fascinating dive into the wonders of the underwater world, with a wide variety of species on display, not forgetting the educational side! In fact, there are a number of ways of understanding ecosystems and marine life conservation issues.
Our 3 favorite moments
- Dive into the darkness in silurium: where catfish, the biggest predators of cold freshwater, swim.
- Marvel at the different colors and shapes of the fish: nearly 360 different species are presented in 80 different aquariums.
- Discover the wreckage of Saint-Exupéry's plane, author of The Little Prince, in the tunnel created in 1998!
Useful tips
- Access: 30min drive from Tours
- Length of visit: 1h to 3h depending on the activities you book
- A wide range ofchildren's activities: in addition to the many child-friendly cartels, there are numerous activities for the little ones, such as "Le Labo", which enables them to understand the carers' mission. (more info here)
- Opening hours: Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Prices: €16 (adults)/ €12 (children under 12)/ Free (under 3)
- Link to the official museum website here.
Find out more in our dedicated article (coming soon).
Need more inspiration for entertaining your kids? Check out our articles on the best Loire castles to do with kids, or our visit to the Parc des Mini Châteaux, just 35min from Tours by car!
DISCOVER Tours
- Things to do in Tours
- Where to sleep in Tours: best hotels
- Where to eat in Tours: best restaurants - coming soon
- Rent a car in Tours
- Best castles around Tours
- Visit the Tours Museum of Fine Arts - coming soon
- Visit the Basilica of Saint Martin in Tours - coming soon
- Visit the Botanical Garden of Tours - coming soon
- Visit Saint-Gatien Cathedral
- Visit the Companionship Museum - coming soon
Other museums in and around Tours
We invite you to take a look at our exhibition program:
- L'hôtel Goüin: If this monument is already worth a visit for its incredible Rennaissance architecture, sculpted around 1510, the venue also offers high-quality, eclectic temporary exhibitions. Unfortunately, when we went to Tours, the exhibition was still being set up, so be sure to check the current agenda on the official website here.
- Le Cloître de la Psalette: attached to the magnificent Cathedral of Tours, the cloister offers a peaceful tour of its gardens and, each year, stages a temporary exhibition. Consult the agenda here.
You've visited all the museums in Tours and still want more? Venture outside the city and discover other exciting museums!
- The Balzac Museum (30min drive): a must-see for literature lovers! Located in the bucolic setting of the Château de Saché, where Honoré de Balzac stayed, the museum offers a fascinating insight into the life and work of the writer. On the program: Balzac's manuscripts, personal objects and themed exhibitions on his immense literary legacy. Find out more here.
- La Cité Rétro-Mécanique - Parc & Collection Maurice Dufresne (30min drive): for fans of mechanical engineering. This museum boasts an exceptional collection of over 3,000 items (vehicles, posters, unusual objects) dating from the beginning of the industrial era to the 1970s. Find out more here.
- The Musée de la Préhistoire du Grand-Pressigny (1h drive) offers a fascinating immersion in prehistory through a remarkable collection of tools and artifacts. Find out more on the website here.
Finally, we can't recommend Tours enough as a base from which to explore the various châteaux of the Loire Valley. Read our article on the best castles around Tours (tips + photos)!
PLAN YOUR TRIP IN
Loire Valley
The castles of the Loire Valley
Other places to explore
Practice
HE MADE THE TRIP Manu
