The Musée des Confluences is Lyon’s museum of science and human societies, in a glass-and-steel “crystal cloud” at the point where the Rhône and the Saône meet. A dinosaur skeleton, meteorites, a mammoth, mummies and objects from cultures worldwide tell the story of life and of humanity. As of October 2026 it opens Tuesday to Sunday 10:30–18:30 (to 22:00 on the first Thursday of the month), and a ticket costs €12; under-18s and Lyon City Card holders go free. Take tram T1 to Musée des Confluences and allow 2–3 hours.
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Tickets and tours for Musée des Confluences
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Why the Musée des Confluences matters
The museum is the heir of Lyon’s former natural history museum, the Musée Guimet, with collections in natural science, anthropology and earth sciences gathered since the 19th century. In all it holds about 2.2 million objects, from fossils and insects to masks and scientific instruments. The Métropole de Lyon built it a new home on the tip of the Presqu’île, where the old docks of the Confluence district have become a showcase of modern architecture.
The Austrian architects Coop Himmelb(l)au designed the building, which opened on 20 December 2014. It is 44 metres high and 150 metres long, a glass “crystal” entrance hall joined to a floating steel “cloud” holding the galleries. It was controversial for its cost, which rose from an early budget of about €153 million to close to €300 million, but it quickly became one of Lyon’s most visited museums.
What you’ll see
The permanent exhibition covers more than 3,000 m², divided into four parts:
- Origins: Stories of the World: how the universe, the Earth and life began, with meteorites, fossils, the skeleton of a Camarasaurus, a long-necked dinosaur, and a mammoth found in Lyon in 1859, barely 2 km from the museum.
- Species: The Web of Life: how humans fit among other animals, with specimens from insects to large mammals.
- Societies: The Human Theatre: how people organise, trade, make things and exchange, from tools to machines.
- Eternities: Visions of the Beyond: how cultures across the world face death, with Egyptian mummies, including animal mummies, and funeral objects.
Temporary exhibitions in the other galleries are included in the ticket. Don’t miss the free outdoor spaces: the terrace and the garden at the tip of the peninsula, where you can watch the two rivers meet.
Tickets and hours
From the museum’s official website, as of October 2026:
- Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10:30–18:30; to 22:00 on the first Thursday of each month. During French zone A school holidays (except summer) it also opens on Mondays. 24 and 31 December 10:30–17:30.
- Closed: Mondays outside school holidays, 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. The ticket desk closes 45 minutes before the museum.
- Price: €12 full; €7 for 18–25-year-olds. The ticket covers permanent and temporary exhibitions for the day.
- Free: under-18s, students, jobseekers, visitors with a disability, and Lyon City Card holders, with proof at the entrance. Children under 13 must be with an adult. France’s free first Sunday does not apply here.
- Where to buy: online on the museum’s ticket website, at the desks, or by phone. Booking online is wise at weekends and in school holidays; workshops and tours need their own ticket on top of entry.
- Lyon City Card: €29.90 for 24 hours (adult), covering this museum and the tram to get there.
How long to allow and when to go
Plan 2–3 hours: about two for the permanent exhibition and one for a temporary show and the terrace. Weekday mornings are quietest; Wednesdays, weekends and school holidays are busiest with families. The first-Thursday late opening is a relaxed way to see it. Bags larger than cabin size (55 × 35 × 20 cm) are not allowed, and the free cloakroom is on level −1. The Brasserie des Confluences and a café serve food.
Accessibility
The museum lends wheelchairs, walking-stick seats and pushchairs free of charge at the cloakroom on level −1, and visitors with a disability go free. There are three accessible parking spaces about 30 metres from the entrance, under the road bridge, and five more in the museum car park. Lifts link the levels.
Getting there
The museum is at 86 Quai Perrache, at the southern tip of the Presqu’île. Tram T1 stops at Musée des Confluences, about 10 minutes from Perrache station; from Part-Dieu, take metro B to Debourg and change to T1. Buses C7, C10, 15 and 63 also stop here. The museum’s car park on Rue Vuillerme has 250 spaces (6:30–22:00 for entry); validate your ticket at the museum for a reduced rate. TCL tickets cost €2.10 for one hour (as of October 2026). The riverside path from the Presqu’île is pleasant by Vélo’v bike.
Combine it with
Walk or cycle along the Saône through the Confluence district’s waterfront and modern buildings, then head north into the Presqu’île and across to Vieux Lyon. Families can pair it with the free zoo at the Parc de la Tête d’Or. More museums and neighbourhoods are in our Lyon travel guide.
Musée des Confluences FAQ
How much does the Musée des Confluences cost?
€12 full price and €7 for 18–25-year-olds, as of October 2026, covering permanent and temporary exhibitions. Under-18s, students, jobseekers, disabled visitors and Lyon City Card holders get in free.
When is the Musée des Confluences open?
Tuesday to Sunday 10:30–18:30, with a late opening to 22:00 on the first Thursday of the month. It is closed on Mondays (except during school holidays), 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
How long does it take to visit the Musée des Confluences?
About 2–3 hours for the four permanent galleries, a temporary exhibition and the terrace. Families with young children often do it in two hours.
Is the Musée des Confluences good for children?
Yes. A dinosaur, a mammoth, mummies and animal displays make it one of Lyon’s best family outings, and it is free for under-18s. Children under 13 must be with an adult.
How do I get to the Musée des Confluences?
Take tram T1 to the Musée des Confluences stop, about 10 minutes from Perrache station, or buses C7, C10, 15 or 63.
Can I bring a suitcase to the Musée des Confluences?
No. Only bags up to cabin size (55 × 35 × 20 cm) are accepted, and they can be left in the free cloakroom on level −1. Leave larger luggage at your hotel or the station.