Museum of the Allier Waterways

Museum closed in 2025 for renovation.
Museum retracing the history of river navigation on the Allier around the town of Pont-du-Château from the 15th to the 19th century.
The Musée de la Batellerie Pierre-Mondanel recounts Pont-du-Château's fluvial past. It bears the name of a local historian, author of L'Ancienne batellerie de l'Allier et de la Dore, a landmark in the history of navigation. The museum's collection began with a donation of objects and documents amassed over nearly 15 years by Pierre Mondanel. The donation was made by his daughter to the local association "Amis du vieux Pont-du-Château". The collection has grown over time, with the addition of personal objects from local residents. The museum features an exhibition of objects and tools used by bargemen on a daily basis, as well as models of boats, art objects related to the river world and other curios. An area is dedicated to the history of bituminous limestone mining in the commune, notably thanks to the bitumen factory, which was an important economic source in the history of Pont-du-Château. The museum is open in summer and during the European Heritage Days.