L'exposition de casques et quelques pompes à bras Une partie des pompes à bras Une pompes à bras et quelques motopompes

Today, the Lyon & Rhône Firemen's Museum is one of the most important of its kind, both in France and in Europe.

Its collections and exhibitions simply cannot be described in a few pages, thus making a true visit of the Museum an absolute must.

The Museum is located on the two levels of the CENTRE D'INTERVENTION LYON LA DUCHERE. (See map )

The Museum is divided into four main parts :

Antique Pumps & Trailer pumps

Vue du musée en entrant Different types of pumps (manually-operated ones, steam engines or motorized engines) are on display, allowing visitors to see how the equipment evolved from the XVIIIth century right up today.

Les premières pompes à bras The oldest pumps were designed between 1732 and 1760.

Une pompe à bras Manually-operated pumps from various periods come next : drafting pumps, both sucking and drafting pumps, mounted on one-wheel or two-wheel chassis, on carts, portable ones, hand-drawn or horse-drawn pumps.

La première pompe à vapeur Also on display, volumetric or centrifugal trailer pumps with all kind of priming systems. They were either portable or trailer ones. The oldest one is a Catel engine (1906).

Une motopompe All of them were built by Catel, Thirion, Mieusset, Delahaye, Renault, Rateau, Drouville, Laffly, Maheu-Labrosse, etc., and some are equipped with engines built by early manufacturers such as Mieusset, Delahaye, Laffly, De Dion Bouton, Cottin Desgoutte, etc., which no longer exist.

Pompe à vapeur Masson & Cie This wonderful steam pump (1893) was bought from Shand-Mason, London. It is a most remarkable piece, which continues to draw visitors' attention.

Hall of Fame

Vue de la salle du souvenir Visitors will recall many important memories. All of them are reminders of the main events in the history of the Lyon Firefighters.

  • Flags : the flag of the Greater Lyon Fire Brigade (1969),
    • The flag donated by the Lyon silk makers (1914) ,
    • The flag dating from the reorganization of the brigade (1894) along with the Légion d'Honneur awarded in 1931 ,
    • The Republican flag, which discarded the Empire flag (1872),
    • The flag offered by Napoléon III, and given to the Brigade by Empress Eugénie,
  • The portraits of all the Chief Officers of the Fire Brigade from 1886 onwards,
  • The memory banners dedicated to those who died on duty or for their Homeland, France,
  • The helmets of the victims of both the Saint-Jean and Feyzin disasters and rescue operations,
  • And many more memories...

Miscellaneous & Fire Gear

Sortie de la salle du souvenir Most interesting different items are on display : some were used for fightfighting, rescue operations, First-aid, diving, and so on...

Des appareils respiratoires La collection de casques This is a very beautiful exhibition : 250 helmets, both from France and abroad (dating from the beginning of the XIXth century up to today). A selection among the 1800 helmets of the Museum's collection, one of the biggest in the world.

Fire Engines & Motorized

L'entrée de l'exposition de véhicules A major collection, counting more than a hundred vehicles, which have presently been repaired or are in the process of being so. This exhibition shows a broad selection of vehicles dating from the beginning of the XXth century until the 70's (displayed in two different parts of the Museum).

Some of the most stunning items are displayed in the actual Museum building.

  • A VERMOREL motorized fire engine (1910)
  • A BERLIET motorized fire engine (1909)
  • A MIEUSSET motorized fire engine (1914)
  • A DELAHAYE motorized fire engine (1914)
  • A SOMUA motorized fire engine (1923)
  • A MERRYWEATHER Turntable ladder (1923)
The Museum apologizes for not being able to show the whole collection because of the limited size of the rooms and building.