Our take
An unexpected museum of African and Asian arts in the heart of Vichy, inherited from the missions and presented with the critical distance it calls for.
African masks and Asian Buddhas, brought together since 1923 in a pocket-sized museum in Vichy.
Private museum on avenue Thermale in Vichy, founded in 1923 by Father Henri Watthé, a Lazarist missionary back from China who had come to treat his rheumatism at the thermal baths. Collections of African tribal art (Benin, Ivory Coast, Mali) and Buddhist art from Asia (China, Burma, Cambodia), brought back over the course of the missions by fellow missionaries. Statues, masks, textiles, ritual objects. Original building, a curated route. Price around €5 per adult. Open from April to October, closed on Monday. Visit 1 hour to 1 hour 30. Often not very busy, which makes the visit more peaceful.
Why we love it
- Masks and statues brought back from the missions in Benin and Mali
- Buddhist art from Asia in the 1923 building
- An intimate visit, often with no one else there
Top tip
Guided tour on Thursday at 15:00 in season (€6), recommended to understand the missionary context. Can be combined with the Opéra de Vichy, 5 minutes' walk away. Closed in winter, check the dates.
Before you go
- Open in the afternoon only in season, from 14:00 to 18:00, Tuesday to Sunday: schedule the visit after lunch.
Practical info
- Address
- 16 Av. Thermale, 03200 Vichy, France
03200 Vichy - MondayClosed
- Tuesday14h–18h
- Wednesday14h–18h
- Thursday14h–18h
- Friday14h–18h
- Saturday14h–18h
- Today14h–18h
Opening hours
What visitors say
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Around Musée des arts d'Afrique et d'Asie
44 spots in and around Vichy, enough to build your day.
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