The Ecole-Musée in Boulogne-sur-Mer will tell you everything about the wonderful history of school in real classrooms!
Here is somewhere which will excite children and adults alike (and both the good students and the ones who get to wear the dunce’s hat!) The Ecole-Musée in Rue de l'Ancien-Rivage in Boulogne-sur-Mer tells the story of schools in an informative and fun way. Three astonishingly realistically reconstructed classrooms will immerse you in three key periods: 1850-1879 in the first room, 1881-1950 in the second and 1950 to the present day in the third. The collections and furniture, gifted by those who are passionate about teaching, are of primary importance in terms of their number and authenticity.
A multi-generational museum
The dunce’s hat, the corner, raps with a ruler across the fingers, medals of distinction, credits and pictures, etc. Children can find out all about these, whilst older adults can recall some happy (or even painful!) memories. The Ecole-Musée is also a great place for interaction.
Over the centuries
It is not only learning methods, classroom rules and teaching which has changed - the equipment used has also evolved. Made of leather or canvas, the 19th century school bag has changed considerably, as have the writing materials, books and notebooks. Maps and posters on the walls seem to have withstood the test of time. Anecdotes abound in the course of the visit.
A varied collection
The Ecole-Musée also has a rich collection of textbooks, library books, primary school reports and educational journals dating from the 19th and 20th century. These can all be looked at in the museum. Ready to sit behind a desk? Under the watchful eye of Marianne, the mistress is standing near the desk on which there is a bouquet of flowers given by a student. The day starts with the inevitable moral lesson, whose maxim, handwritten on the day's notebook, remains on the blackboard.