THE MUSEUM OF LOURDES

Lourdes is well-known for its numerous museums. These include the Cachot, Musée de Lourdes (Museum of Lourdes), Museum of Saint Bernadette, Nativity Museum, Castle Fort Pyrenean Museum, Petit Lourdes Museum, Musee de Cire Lourdes, Grevin Museum, Gemmail Museum, Moulin Lacade - Maison Paternelle de Sainte Bernadette (Lacade Mill), Moulin de Boly - Maison Natale de Bernadette (Boly Mill) and The Way of the Cross.

Located at 11 rue de  l'égalité, 65100 Lourdes, Musee de Lourdes or the Museum of Lourdes (Lourdes Museum) delved into the history of Lourdes and has provided a good presentation of 19th Century everyday life in Lourdes. In this treasure house of great knowledge, visitors could travel back in time to the past and discover how the modest country-town of Lourdes looked like during the time of the apparitions when Bernadette Soubirous was only fourteen years old. They could also see the traditional skills and crafts, the ancestral trades and occupations, the old streets of Lourdes with the old shops and houses, as well as the clothing style and the lifestyle in Lourdes during that era. Needless to say, the Lourdes Museum was an ideal place to learn about the history, civilization, beliefs, morals, art and architecture of ancient Lourdes. The life-size reconstruction of this little French town has enabled the visitors to gain valuable insights into the social, cultural, economic, political and religious practices of the inhabitants of this miraculous place more than 150 years ago.

I love Lourdes and I love the Lourdes Museum with its vivid illustrations of old Lourdes just the way it was in the time of Bernadette back in 1858. Being in the museum was like a real encounter with what life was in Lourdes during a forgone era. At that instant, I couldn't help placing myself in the shoes of Bernadette and imagining what my life would be like in a different era. It was indeed a very informative museum filled with local knowledge that could make history come alive for the visitors. Needless to say, knowing the history and culture of Lourdes made me appreciate this place even more. In a way, learning about the history and culture of Lourdes has not only brought me closer to this place but also to God. Why? Lourdes rose to prominence because of the apparitions in 1858 and I found it very meaningful to experience what life was like during the apparitions as though I was a part of it albeit for a short while. That kind of experience was like an encounter with God. As I reflected on my own life, I also found peace and tranquility in my heart and soul.

In this article, I would like to share some of the photos which I took in the Lourdes Museum during my visit to this memorable place. Every photo tells a unique story and provides rich insights into the history of Lourdes. They are proof that the Museum of Lourdes was one of the best museums in Lourdes.

A Bigourdan basketmaker

 Women in Nineteenth-Century Lourdes

The baker's oven

Blacksmiths at work

A Bigourdan cabinetmaker

An old village scene in Lourdes

The poor shepherdess, Bernadette Soubirous

The Grotto of Massabielle

The Lourdes Museum was an excellent place for pilgrims and was really worth visiting. Visiting the museum was a great way to find the old Lourdes that has become history. Although some museums may close permanently due to the coronavirus pandemic, I pray that the Lourdes Museum would survive these hard times and continue to be with us forever.

Permanently closed? Hope it's not true.

Thanks for reading. If you like this article, you may also like the other articles about Lourdes. You can find a complete list of these articles here.