The Textile and Horn Comb Museum: the incredible discovery of ancestral traditions in Ariège

Located in Lavelanet, 30 minutes from Foix, this unique museum in Ariège is a true witness to the history of wool and horn, bringing together years of work and know-how in a single building. Open from April to October, it invites you to discover the techniques of making horn combs and cloth sheets from the Middle Ages to the 21st century, a stunning journey that transports you back in time.

The Textile and Horn Comb Museum, promoting the rich heritage of the Pays d'Olmes

It seems a long time ago, and yet... it wasn't so long ago that the textile and horn comb industry was booming, transforming the Pays d'Olmes into a thriving site. These two activities enjoyed their heyday in the 20th century, promoting the region's economic growth:

• The horn comb has allowed the development of 40 companies in the Haute Vallée de l'Hers and more than 2000 workers to produce millions of combs per year which then flood the world market. Made with ancestral know-how and a noble natural material, horn combs are precious jewels of the craftsmanship of the Pays d'Olmes.
• The manufacture of fabric sheets reached its peak in the second half of the 20th century with fabric productions that amounted to millions of meters, an ancestral and quality know-how that already existed in the Middle Ages. Haute couture or mass distribution for clothing, furnishings between flooring, carpet or armchair, bodywork for all transport vehicles… These magnificent fabrics had multiple functions that allowed the growth of a hundred companies.

Discover these 2 local heritage activities in an exciting and educational museum in Lavelanet.

The Textile and Horn Comb Museum, guardian of the memory of a local craft

Take a moment before entering this incredible museum which is none other than the first factory opened in Lavelanet in 1800, the Dumons factory. More than a museum, you are inside an institution that immerses you in the atmosphere of the time, when machines and mechanics were non-existent. It was in 1983 that the Association of Friends of the Textile and Horn Comb Museum came together to create and open this museum representative of the past, former workers, managers or executives who work together to preserve the history and memory of a local heritage. Their efforts are rewarded since this museum is now renowned for the quality of its exhibitions, attracting thousands of visitors each year who are curious to travel to the heart of the material at different times. Since 2002, it has also been designated a "Museum of France", a deserved distinction which is the pride of the Ariégeois and artisans.

An amazing museum that reveals the secrets of making horn combs and cloth sheets

You won't have time to get bored in Lavelanet in this vast museum spread over 3,500m2, of which 1,200m2 are dedicated to exhibitions. Through 3 axes which approach textiles and their traditional techniques from the Middle Ages to today, the textile men from yesterday to today and the production chain of the 50s, it invites you to discover 10 fascinating spaces on its varied subjects:

• The video space presents the manufacture of horn combs and textile activity
• The spinning area brings together numerous tools for working with wool and the origin of each fiber from different sheep
• The mechanical spinning area presents the very first model of machines invented in the 18th century
• The dyeing space reveals the secrets of synthetic dyes and natural dyes
• The textile garden and its magnificent plants such as linen, bamboo, hemp, woad and indigo
• The warping area to understand how medieval weaving worked
• The mechanical space presents the Jacquard looms
• The knitting loom area has a local specificity
• The warping space explains the complexity of mechanical weaving
• The space on the manufacture of horn combs, a total immersion in this local activity

The visit promises to be exciting!

The Textile and Horn Comb Museum, personalized tours based on your wishes

Allow at least 2 hours to fully appreciate all the richness of this unmissable museum. Open to the public between April and November, it is freely accessible with an audio guide, punctuated by films and digital information. A QR code allows you to learn more about the different areas of the museum with tours adapted to children, offering a visit in the form of participatory games adored by families. Guided tours are also offered, carried out in groups to discover the 2 local activities and their evolution from the Middle Ages to today. Groups, children, teenagers, adults, PRM, specialized reception centers… everyone is welcome at the Textile and Horn Comb Museum, even animals if they are kept on a leash!

The Textile and Horn Comb Museum, fun and exciting workshops

Did the tour amaze you? Extend the pleasure and discovery by participating in a workshop alongside experienced and passionate artisans. Accessible to all, these workshops allow you to understand how the machines and tools work in real time through various workshops:

• Hand spinning workshop with a demonstration of carding and tools such as the spindle
• Natural tint workshop, preparations made on site allowing you to admire the harmony of colors
• Medieval warping and weaving workshop to understand the technique and discover the many machines
• Mechanical spinning workshop which presents the different stages to obtain a quality wool mattress
• Mechanical workshop which deals with Jacquard looms
• Mechanical knitting workshop that presents the local way of knitting
• Warping and mechanical weaving workshop which presents the Nébiolo, the museum's emblematic mechanical loom

Keep your eyes open so you don't miss anything!

The Textile and Horn Comb Museum shop, a little corner of paradise for lovers of the material

To offer a gift, bring back a souvenir, discover local crafts, taste local products or simply for pleasure, take a look at the shop at the end of your visit. More than horns and textiles, you will find pretty Ariège nuggets that will delight young and old, including household linen, decorative objects, pastel-based cosmetics, scented candles, puzzles and toys. In this beautiful, well-stocked space, you will also find items from the museum's production, such as bags of garden seeds, spinning kits, dyeing kits and weaving kits. On site, a specialist bookstore offers books presenting all the local and regional riches, while local artisans and producers exhibit their diverse and varied specialties.

Head over to the Textile and Horn Comb Museum in Lavelanet and mark the dates of upcoming events in your diary. May is Museum Night, while June and September are Heritage Days, in which this museum in Ariège participates.

Enjoy your visit!

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