From a factory
with worker accommodation…
to an evolving museum
A
page of history is turned on the "Bonnet
Soieries" site. Though industrial production
ended in late 2001 with the closure of the
"Société d'Exploitation
des Textiles Bonnet", the site has
now taken on a new life and has become a
key emblem of the industrial heritage of
the 19th and 20th Centuries.
The
collections illustrate the long process of
designing and manufacturing a fabric, from
sketches to the finished product. They bear
the imprint of an expertise that combined
technical know-how and artistic excellence,
set against the background of the social and
economic history of one the 19th and 20th
Centuries' largest silk works.
The
Ain Departmental Council has purchased all
the collections to ensure that they are properly
maintained, restored and shown to the general
public. They are being kept on site, in the
original buildings belonging to the Bugey-Vallée
de l'Ain Community of Communes.
An
outstanding acquisition
Following
the unanimous approval of the Museums of
France Arts Committee, the collections were
purchased with financial support from the
Government and the Rhône-Alpes Regional
Council as part of a Regional Fund for Museum
Purchases (FRAM) purchase procedure.
A
heritage protected as a Historic Monument
The
buildings are at the heart of a complex of structures
that go to make up a genuine industrial citadel,
a "town within a town" with, apart from
the manufacturing buildings: worker accommodation,
an infirmary, a store, a crèche, a chapel,
a large family house and various other dwellings.
The existing buildings are now registered in the
supplementary inventory of Historic Monuments.
"Soieries
Bonnet" is one of 27 major French
industrial sites registered in 2001.
The collection, which consists of several
tens of thousands of objects, offers a rare
historic continuity.
Source
: Emmanuel De Roux, Patrimoine industriel,
Editions du patrimoine, Scala Editions,
Paris 2001.
Contact
The Conservation of Museums in
the "Pays de l'Ain"
For museums
of everyday life, objects are filled with humanity.
They are a reminder of man in his environment.
By putting some “soul” into the presentation
of these objects, made, used and passed on by
the hand of man, museums invite us to think about
issues in our own time.
In 1986, The
Departmental Council decided to promote the wealth
of natural and cultural heritage in the department
by founding a Departmental Conservation Office
in Bourg-en-Bresse. The Office works to develop
the cultural heritage of the area and to create
a departmental policy for museums, carries out
scientific and cultural assignments and designs
and manages museums. The Departmental Conservation
Office develops private and public partnerships
with associations and institutions, particular
with a view to organising cultural events and
occasions in museums.
Towards
new partnerships
Manufacturers,
former partners of SETB, researchers, specialists
in textiles and techniques, friends of the “Soieries C.J. Bonnet” heritage,
if you are wondering what is going to happen
to the site or you would like to support
the heritage project.
Send
us your comments and questions by writing
to:
Or send your letters by post to the following
address:
Conseil
général de l'Ain Conservation départementale
des Musées des Pays de l'Ain
34, rue Général Delestraint
01000 Bourg-en-Bresse
Tél. 04 74 32 10 60 - Fax 04 74 32
66 53
For visits,
contact the Poncin Tourist Office
Tél.
04 74 37 23 14 -
mail : ot.poncin@free.fr
