The place
FROM TEXTILE MILL TO MUSEUM
1880 – 1965 : textile factory
August 1880 : The factory is established with around 640 workers. The factory is essentially developed in a shelled building, extended as and when required.
1957 : Buyout by the Schlumpf brothers.
1966 – 1977 : museum Schlumpf
1973 : Almost all the cars are located in the main hall.
End 1976 : The remaining 20 workers at the HKC factory are dismissed and sealed off.
Until 1977, it was called the “Schlumpf Museum” by the two founding brothers. The reconstruction of the factory into a museum was a major undertaking and took many years. The museum covers 17,000 m2.
1977- 1979 : museum of Workers
7 March 1977 : Occupation by the unions. The “Schlumpf Museum” was renamed the “Workers’ Museum”: “we will give it back when we have our work back in our factories”.
This was the beginning of the Schlumpf affair, which made headlines in the national and international press for several years.
1978 : The collection has been classified by the Conseil d’Etat as a Historic Monument, thus prohibiting any element of the collection from leaving French territory. Any attempt to sell, disperse or relocate the collection is thus halted.
8 April 1981 : purchase of the collection by the Association du Musée National de l’Automobile.
1982 – 1989 : Musée National de l’Automobile
10 July 1982 : opening to the public of the museum managed by the Association pour la Gestion du Musée National de l’Automobile.
1989 – 2006 : Musée National de l’Automobile – Collection Schlumpf
1989 : Following rulings by the Paris Court of Appeal, the Musée National de l’Automobile is obliged to add “Collection Schlumpf” to its name and on all documents mentioning an item in the collection.
1999 : The operation of the museum is entrusted to a private company: Culture Espaces SA.
2011 : Inauguration of the autodrome
Cars in motion: this complements the static view in the permanent exhibition.
Renting of outdoor areas to complement the various existing rooms in the museum.
Our different spaces
the architecture of the hall designed by jean-françois Milou
As soon as you arrive, you will be able to admire the entrance of the museum by crossing the footbridge that passes over the canal. It was designed by Studio Milou in 2006, combining glass and steel, and decorated with suspended cars.
The “Automobile Adventure” area traces the history of the automobile from 1878 to the present day through 243 cars. The 600 lamp posts, identical to those on the Alexandre III bridge in Paris, were created at the request of Fritz Schlumpf.
The “Car racing” area will transport you to the starting line with emblematic sports models. The immersion will be total thanks to the decor and the sound effects.
The “Masterpieces” area features 80 of the most beautiful cars from the 1930s. You will be able to admire two prestigious Royal Bugatti type 41, including the Napoleon coupe that belonged to Ettore Bugatti.
The Autodrome is a real open-air theater composed of 3 rings and can accommodate up to 4500 people in the stands. Shows, animations and car parades are regularly proposed. 30 cars can be parked on the uncovered paddock and the clubhouse with garage allows clubs and associations of collectors to gather.
collections to discover
A collection of mascots – these figurines decorating the radiator caps of cars – is presented as an introduction to the exhibition. You will be able to find for example the famous Spirit of Ecstasy of Rolls Royce but also some unique models.
The Jammet collection, a sumptuous collection of children’s cars that will never cease to amaze young and old.
