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THE CHAMPOLLION MUSEUM: A NEW PAGE IS WRITTEN IN FIGEAC

Born in Figeac, Jean-François Champollion revolutionised the interpretation of writing by deciphering the hieroglyphics on the famous «Rosetta Stone». The museum which bears his name reopened in July 2007, allowing visitors to discover «The Writings of the World».

FIGEAC - Lot (46)

Opened in 1986 in the house where the French scientist was born, the Champollion museum was, until 2007, mainly devoted to hieroglyphics and ancient Egypt. After two years of renovation work, the Champollion museum was moved and enlarged to compose an ambitious architectural and museographical ensemble, grouping several old houses in the town centre, to house all the "Writings of the World»

The principal façade, dating from the 13th and 18th centuries, is in itself a visual feature: set into the arches and windows is an immense pierced copper plaque creating a Mashrabiya composed of 1000 writing characters from all over the world, alphabets, ideograms, pictograms, codes, etc. The rooms open out on to loggias allowing visitors to enjoy views over the town of Figeac.

Writing has existed for over 5 thousand years. It makes it possible to communicate, educate, inform, and escape... It is this great human adventure that the Museum Champollion-Writings of the World endeavours to retrace, in its immense diversity, putting the work of Champollion himself into perspective. The reference collection now occupies 4 levels, each of 200 m2, making up 7 themed areas spread over 8 rooms: Champollion and Egypt - Man, the world and writing - the Birth of writing (2 rooms) - The invention of alphabets in the Mediterranean area - Books, memories of man - Writing, power and citizenship - Multimedia reading room.

The Champollion room, on the first floor, plunges the visitor into the decipherer's passion, with the "great Egyptian treasure» made up of objects from funeral rites, sarcophaguses, mummies, statuettes of gods, Book of the Dead... All this to the sound of Champollion's voice telling of his expedition to Egypt, after 20 years of research. Your visit will be punctuated by installations and activities allowing an interactive discovery of the museum.

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