The ethnological museum, created in 1983, is the fruit of research among the inhabitants of the village who wished, through objects, to tell stories of their childhood and of the lives of their parents and grandparents, and with these memories to bring the past to life – from the end of the 19th century to just after the 1914-18 War.
In the cellars of the Abbey chateau and in the tower room where the objects are displayed, you will find a rich array of tools and objects, each with its history, be it agricultural, artisanal or household.
Examples of crafts and trades represented through objects :
- clog-maker, cobbler, cooper (cask-maker), cart-maker, blacksmith, tile-maker, mason, quarryman, carpenter, joiner, turner, sawyer …
… and also the work of the land, the fields, the vegetable garden; the kitchen, the laundry …
In a room in the tower, you will find mementos of family life.
The representation of the lives of these villagers aroused the keen interest of ethnologists from the University of Paris 7, who over several years came to do part of their course here. In addition, researchers from the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions in Paris have visited the museum to carry out additional research.
The work they carried out takes the form of photos, films, audio recordings and exhibitions.
Le Bourg
47270 Saint-Maurin
Tél. 05 53 95 31 25
Fax. 05 53 95 30 21
abbayedesaintmaurin@free.fr
