Find out you should visit the Museum of Minature. Check out my 10 Reasons for visiting the Musée Cinéma et Miniature and having one of the best experiences in Lyon!
I dont know why did it take me so long to visit Musée Cinéma et Miniature but it did. I waited doing other activities, exploring France and i didn’t realize that such an amazing, special and unique museum is just next to me and so easy to access….I guess that might be a reason..when you think it is always there you just simply put it away for the other occasion. But I am so so happy that this occasion came and now i have visited & experienced & had a great time at the Musée Cinéma et Miniature and I can recommend. And what is more I can even now tell you honestly Why I think Musée Cinéma et Miniature is one of the Best Lyonnais Museums and why you should visit it if you only have a chance!
So here you are My Top 10 Reasons on Why You Should Visit Musée Cinéma et Miniature

- Because it is just on your way. It’s easy to be found, it’s not possible to be missed. It is located at 60 Rue Saint-Jean, in the heart of in the historical centre of Lyon, my beloved “Vieux-Lyon”.
- Because of the venue that the museum is in. It is very impressive 16th century building called “Maison des Avocats” (Lawyers’ House) and this building actually is now listed as a UNESCO world heritage site.Its a special experience just to walk through the building!
- Because it has been created with the real passion and love for miniature and cinema, by the real artist and passionate DanOhlmann.
- Because of Dan Ohlmann who brought his Parisian museum to Lyon! He is a significant artist and an interesting man. Dan was a former cabinetmaker and inner architect who in 1985 started to work on the scale furniture. In 1987 he created his first world-famous creation – a 1/12th-scale model of the world-famous Chez Maxim’s restaurant in Paris. In 1989 he opened the Palais de la Miniature (The Miniature Palace) in Paris with the collection if 1,000 miniature masterpieces from all over the world…which soon was not big enough for his expanding talent and passion!
- Because is huge! With the two rare exhibitions are spread across 8 rooms, at 5 floors, on almost 2,000 m² of space. What is more it is growing and developing all the time. The staff artists work daily to produce new scale miniatures and restore genuine film props in their workshop. And the Special Effects Part received recently an impressive elements from Jurassic Park and Mrs.Doubtfire movies.
- Because it’s very interesting from the artistic and educational point of view. The Cinema partcontains the exhibition’s educational elements whichhave been created by film journalist AlainBielik who is the founder and editor of special effects magazine “S.F.X”. It’s a great place when you can really learn and understand some of the special movie effects.
- Because it has not one but 2 huge collections which we can divided into 2 main parts: the Miniature Exhibition and the Movie Special Effects One.
- Because of the impressive The Miniature Part whichcontains 1000 of pieces of tiny elements created byOhlmann himself but also byminiaturists and artists from all over the world which Danhave been collecting during his travels. These are reproductions of the daily life settings and all been built to the scale of 1:12.m. In the Salle des Performances you can admire the most elaborate and delicate pieces: chiselled eggs, micro paper art, origami, sculpted matches etc.
- Because of the impressive The Movie Special Effects part whichcontains over 300 original film props, artefacts and objects coming from the biggest American, British, German and French studios. They containactual miniature film sets, costumes, models, masks, prosthetic make-up, fake animals, robots, monsters and aliens from such films like “Gladiator”, “Aliens”, “Independence day”, “Minority Report” etc. Theyhave been collected over the past 20 years and since 2011 the museum has opened also a permanent exhibition devoted to film artists which collection has been steadily expanding and aim to receive a new element every month.
- And lastly but most importantly, it is actually the one-of-its-kind museum in Europe, that focuses on special effects techniques!
So are you convinced that Musée Cinéma et Miniature can be named one of the best Lyonnais museums ? Will you visit Musée Cinéma et Miniature and will you tell me what you think? I can assure you – you will enjoy and won’t be bored….So put it on your list of things to do in Lyon and do it as soon as you can…don’t wait as long as i did…Have Fun!
By the way, did you know you can read, safe and use on the go this article and others when visiting different places? Well, there is such an application called with GPSCityMap which you can get for free here with my article. Happy travelling!