Reims is a city where history is not just remembered but physically present on every corner. From the grandeur of its UNESCO-listed cathedral to the quiet cellars where champagne matures for decades, the cultural landscape is remarkably rich. For visitors, the museums of Reims offer a unique opportunity to walk through time, from Roman antiquity to the art deco movement and beyond.
Unlike the overwhelming scale of Parisian institutions, the museums here feel intimate, accessible, and deeply connected to the local identity. You can spend an hour admiring Renaissance woodcuts, then cross the street to stand in the very room where the German surrender of World War II was signed. This density of heritage makes museum-hopping in Reims a genuinely rewarding experience rather than a chore.
Whether you are a devoted art historian, a military history enthusiast, or simply someone looking to understand why this city matters, Reims has a collection tailored to your curiosity. Many of the best sites are housed in historic buildings that are attractions in their own right. The combination of world-class artifacts and architectural beauty creates an atmosphere that is both educational and emotionally resonant.
Planning your visits requires a bit of strategy, as opening days and seasonal hours vary across the city. However, the compact nature of central Reims means you can often visit two or three major sites in a single afternoon on foot. With the right guidance, you can maximize your time and ensure you do not miss the hidden gems that locals treasure.
This guide is designed to cut through the noise and highlight the essential stops for any cultural itinerary. We have prioritized institutions that offer exceptional collections, historical significance, and authentic local character. Below, you will find the definitive list of the best museums Reims has to offer.
Musée Saint-Remi
| Address | 53 Rue Simon, 51100 Reims |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: Closed Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Phone | 03 26 35 36 90 |
If you are a history dork, like me, this place has everything from the stone age to the military equipment from the 1870s. Absolutely remarkable, and the little models are the BEST for visualizing life in the past.
The premises are very unique themselves. The permanent exposition gives a vast overview of the history of Reims and its region, including prehistorical periods.
Beautiful! Charming and you can visit it all! I guess if you are passionate a lot about history it would be suitable for you. It is also child-friendly with many brochures for them. Moreover, they have a nice yard with benches. The building seems to be nice as well as the personnel.
Unexpectedly interesting museum with a wonderful collection of tapestry telling us about the life of Saint Remigius (Rémi). I have learnt as well many interesting things about the foundation of Reims from the Roman ages to nowadays.
Excellent museum with a variety of collections from neolithic, gallo-roman architecture etc, through to 18th and 19th century French army uniforms helmets etc.
The Tapestries are worth seeing if nothing else. They have been repaired beautifully and presented in a very tasteful way in their own hall. They invite contemplation along with appreciation.
Do not be put off if the museum looks closed - it does - but check the times and see if the front door is open. Entry fees are very low. Max €5,50.
Don't miss it
Museum of the Surrender of May 7, 1945
| Address | 12 Rue du Président Franklin Roosevelt, 51100 Reims |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Phone | 03 26 47 84 19 |
A place of history and many walk on by. Redone in 25/26 and completely different from when I visited in 2019. Great flow and focus on the historical surrender.
The room where WW2 in Europe ended was preserved exactly as it was on 7 May 1945. The museum stands as a reminder of that act and its wider displays tell the story of Reims's role in the war and of those present on that day. An exceptional small museum staffed by a wonderful welcoming team.
Fantastic little museum. €5.50 well spent to understand the historical significance of this city 80 years ago. Excellent 5 min film in English to set the scene. Walked through a number of small rooms of photos, documents and period uniforms before reaching the room in which the surrender was signed. Very moving, left as it was with maps and weather reports and daily operation plans on the walls.
A wonderful and humbling experience at the Musee de la Reddition. We explored the museum that features the War Room where Germany signed the act to unconditionally surrender and end WW2.
We spent 90 minutes at the museum (which was sufficient) on our way to the Gare de Reims.
What a fine little museum this is!
If you are looking for a history break while going to Reims, between 2 champagne houses, that is the perfect place.
It tells the story of the 7th of May 1945, where the first ceasefire was signed between the allies and the axe, this is the first treaty by because Joseph Staline wasn’t happy about the way it was organized . A second one was signed the 8th in Berlin.
I love to remember that once Russian and Europe were allies. I’m grateful that now Germany and France are sibling nations.
What a nice place to visit, you will see the table the first reddition was signed and the war maps.
Musée Automobile Reims Champagne
| Address | 84 Av. Georges Clemenceau, 51100 Reims |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM Tuesday: Closed Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM Thursday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM Friday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM Saturday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM Sunday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM |
| Phone | 03 26 82 83 84 |
Great collection of vintage cars, predominantly French heritage but a few international ones as well. Lots of forgotten brands.
In addition they have a huge collection of toy cars, motorcycles, kids toys and wall art/signs.
Well worth the €10 entrance fee and a great way to spend an afternoon.
The collection is very cool, you can expect some really rare cars and some fancy ones.
Wonderful assortment of makes of cars and trucks from early 1900's (maybe earlier...I'm not a car buff) in amazing condition , and motorcycles and a couple of old bicycles. A room full of toy and model cars in cabinets, and a small area selling cards, and metal wall hangings to do with the car industry. You can walk through the large rooms at your leisure. Not a lot of information about each car/truck.
A great little museum, with just tons of cars and motorcycles lined up, with plaques giving a bit of information about most of them. If you are just going to quickly look at some old European cars, you can probably finish in about half an hour. We were reading some of the plaques and commenting about some of them, taking our time, and we spend an hour and a half. If you wanted to read everything, you could probably stay 2-2.5 hours depending on your speed
A charming museum with a good collection of rare cars and toys. They have a huge car park too. No restaurant but beverages are available. Note opening hours as it closes in the middle of the day!
Fort de la Pompelle Museum
| Address | RD 944, , route de Châlons-en-Champagne, 51500 Puisieulx |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: Closed Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Phone | 03 26 49 11 85 |
Interesting fort museum charting it's history from its Inception
Free Parking is a short walk away up some steps. Access around the outside of the museum is available at all times. The museum however only accessible when open. Usually 10am to 6pm. Hours may vary depending on time of year. Small gift shop on site and a couple of vending machines along with toilets
Information panels guide you around the exhibits. The museum has the largest collection of German helmets along with many other artifacts and exhibits
Finally staff very friendly and helpful.
I visited during a heatwave so rushed through things a bit but well worth the visit
You can come visit even if the museum is closed. You will obviously not have access inside to see the story, but you can still walk all around the fort. The information and the artifacts are top notch. It is recommended to have around 1 hour to fully complete it and read everything. Parking is avaible for free.
Nice museum in the old fort, with a great collection of WW1 artifacts and Helmets
We only visited outside exposition and not the museum itself because we came outside of museum opening hours. Very interesting for the kids because they see what the fort is, see the large cannons, see flags of the war participants.
The part of the exhibition is the monument devoted to the Russian expedition corps sent to French allies to support the defence.
This is one of the places I've enjoyed the most while visiting Champagne. The display in the main corridor outlines the history of the fort and the progress of World War I in general. The smaller rooms along it are filled with either collections of weapons, uniforms and other objects or dioramas, all of this well made. The outside portion of the fort has plaques describing what-is-what as well. There are a few interactive bits and some footage from the time period, and a lot of objects such as postcards, novelty items, posters, everyday items etc. So it gives you a lot of perspective both on WWI as a whole and in a more "close" or "human" sense. My one complaint is something that I've noticed in some other museums in France. The displays in the main corridor are in French, English, German and even Braille (French, I assume). Alas, everything else is in French only. This isn't much of a problem if a plaque just says "French cavalry helmet", but there were some items that had additional explanations given and I feel like I could have learned a lot more. Google won't let me take half a star away, though, and other than this I think this is a great place to visit, so I'm giving it a five. Some two-three hours seems like a good estimate for how long a visit takes. Well, maybe four if you are very thorough.
Musée-Hôtel Le Vergeur
| Address | 36 Pl. du Forum, 51100 Reims |
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| Maps | Click here |
| Website | Click here |
| Opening Hours | Monday: Closed Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM Thursday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM Friday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM Saturday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM Sunday: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 2:00 – 6:00 PM |
| Phone | 03 26 35 61 95 |
Amazing experience! I highly recommend it, there is approximately 1 hours guided tour included in the ticket with a person well-educated to tell you numerous facts about the building! I was impressed by the preservation as well as the museum's pieces! I loved it!
very interesting combination of the founder of the house 15th century who built it and 200 years later, the person who reconstructed it after warfare damaged it and collected an impressive private collection of interior objects. it’s a one hour explanatory tour and the person was very educated.
Beautiful museum to learn about the history of Reims and France. It's free visit until March. I was very lucky to have Sandrine guiding me the tour in English. She is very knowledgable and lively, patient and full of passion! I enjoyed it very much! This museum and the guided tour are definitely something you should not miss in Reims!
The museum was truly amazing. The entrance fee was 5 euros, and that included a guided tour. The staff were very kind and knowledgeable. Since we didn't speak French, they guided us in English. We had a wonderful time there. I would definitely recommend it!
Great tour! Available in English if you ask beforehand. Very interesting house, with rooms containing furniture from all over the world, and a garden full of doorways and doors. Very unique.
Tips for Visiting Reims Museums
To make the most of your cultural journey through Reims, a little preparation goes a long way. The city is highly walkable, but some museums have specific ticketing policies and seasonal schedules that can catch travelers off guard. The following practical advice will help you navigate the local museum scene with confidence and ease.
- Purchase the Reims City Pass: If you plan to visit three or more paid attractions, the Reims City Pass often provides significant savings. It typically includes access to major museums, public transport, and sometimes even a champagne cellar tour, making it a high-value option for active sightseers.
- Check for Monday and Tuesday Closures: Unlike some major capitals, many municipal museums in Reims close on Tuesdays, while others observe Monday closures. Always verify the specific day of the week before heading out to avoid disappointment, especially during off-peak seasons.
- Allow Time for the Surrender Museum: The Musée de la Reddition (Museum of the Surrender) is small but historically dense. Do not rush it. Give yourself at least 45 minutes to absorb the maps, newsreels, and the emotional weight of the preserved war room.
- Combine with Champagne House Visits: Many of the great champagne houses are located near the Saint-Remi area and the city center. Try to alternate your museum visits with cellar tours to balance standing and walking, and to experience both the artistic and gastronomic heritage of the region.
- Look for Combined Tickets: Some sites, particularly those managed by the city, offer combined entry tickets. For example, entry to the Musée des Beaux-Arts sometimes grants access to other municipal historical sites, so ask at the ticket desk before paying full price.
Reims rewards the curious traveler. Beyond the famous facades and bubbling flutes, the museums here tell the story of a city that has been a spiritual capital, a battleground, and a cradle of artistic innovation. By stepping inside these institutions, you move beyond the surface and connect with the soul of the Champagne region.
Whether you find yourself lost in the brushstrokes of a Corot or standing silently in the room where a world war ended, the experience will leave a lasting impression. Take your time, speak with the curators, and let the history of Reims unfold around you.
