Museum of Protestantism – From the Reformation to Secularism

The museum’s exhibition, spanning the Reformation to secularism, takes visitors on a journey through five centuries of history – not only the history of Protestantism, but also the story of how France has built a tradition of religious pluralism, tolerance and secularism.
Founded in 1968 and designated a ‘Musée de France’ since 2003, the Musée de Ferrières is the first museum in France dedicated to religion and secularism, exploring these themes through the history of French Protestantism.
Its exhibition is aimed at all visitors, regardless of their beliefs:
how can we understand the arduous progress of pluralism and tolerance? Why has there been so much violence, instability, upheaval and passion in France’s religious policy, from the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre to the 2004 law on the wearing of ‘ostentatious religious symbols’?

The museum’s exhibition, from the Reformation to Secularism, addresses questions such as: What is religion? What are the links between politics and religion, and how can they be unravelled? The origins of power and legitimacy? How has religion been invoked in the past and today?
This journey through our history has been designed with the conviction that understanding one’s own past and that of others is one of the best ways to learn to live together.
In 2024, the Museum will open a new gallery housing a collection of printed works owned by the Tarn Department.
Before or after your visit, we recommend playing a game of the Game of the Goose, located 30 metres from the museum car park.