Permanent exhibition
Since 2019, at the heart of the Morinie, the Maison de l’Archéologie has revealed the history of the municipality of Thérouanne through an original permanent exhibition combining artifacts discovered during local excavations, tactile models, multimedia devices, and interactive exhibits for children and families.
maison de l’archéologie
Thérouanne, 2000 years of history, a century of Archaeology
The exhibition presents historical events that have shaped Thérouanne and the daily life of its residents over the centuries, from the end of the Iron Age to the contemporary era.
Practical information
Find useful information to plan your visit here.
Price : Free
Hours :
- During peak season* :
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday: 10h to 12h and 14h to 17h
Saturday and Sunday: 14h to 17h
* From spring break to All Saints’ break
-
The rest of the year :Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday: 14h to 17h
200 m²
exhibition surfaces
175
exposed archaeological objects
5
models to discover
10
multimedia devices to search
8
playful cases
4
major historical periods covered
From Gallic origins to the Gallo-Roman city
Land of the Gallic Morini tribe two thousand years ago, Morinia and its likely capital Tervana (now Thérouanne) became a thriving Gallo-Roman city after Julius Caesar’s conquest of Gaul in the 1st century BC, remaining so until the Franks settled in the region in the 3rd century AD.
The tour presents the layout of the ancient city, its commercial activities and archaeological objects representative of the lifestyle of its Romanised inhabitants (coins, incense burners, jewellery, amphoras, board game pieces, statuettes of deities, etc.). Models of a Roman road and a villa (agricultural complex) discovered in Zouafques in the 1990s – both of which visitors can manipulate – provide further insight into the layout of the surrounding countryside during Roman antiquity.
The capital of a vast bishopric of the Middle Ages
Christianized in the 7th century by Saint Omer, the region became one of the largest bishoprics of Northern Europe. Crowds of pilgrims stopped in Thérouanne to pray in the cathedral, which housed relics of Saint Maximus.
The visits contributed to the city’s prosperity, where cloth merchants, blacksmiths, and goldsmiths worked, and to the power of the 58 bishops who successively led the diocese until 1553.
The collections on display bear witness to the past splendour of Notre-Dame de Thérouanne, as well as the spiritual and material life of the city. Among the must-see items are a model representing the cathedral in the 13th century, several remains of its sculpted decoration (Gothic heads, column capitals, paving tiles, etc.) and pilgrimage ampoules, strange little metal vials produced locally, which the faithful bought as souvenirs.
A stronghold at the center of European challenges of the 16th century
In the first half of the 16th century, having become an isolated French military outpost in the middle of the Southern Netherlands, Thérouanne endured three sieges. During these conflicts, the French kings Francis I and then Henry II faced off against Emperor Charles V and Henry VIII of England.
The final clash in 1553 proved fatal for Thérouanne. The protected outpost was captured and pillaged before being entirely destroyed.
The exhibition invites visitors to follow, through a tactile model and an animated film, the course of the siege of 1553, from the arrival of Spanish and imperial troops at the foot of the city to its surrender and complete dismantling. A letter bearing the seal of Charles V ordering pioneers (soldiers specialising in earthworks) to come to the site after its surrender bears witness to this destruction.
An extraordinary playground for archaeologists
The rebirth of Thérouanne as a rural village, located south of the ruins of the ancient medieval city, took several centuries. This slow reconstruction is shown in the exhibition through a large timeline featuring plans, maps, and photographs of the town taken between the 17th and 21st centuries.
In 1898, archaeologists began to take an interest in the lost historic town and carried out excavations on the site. The town’s subsoil still provides them with an extraordinary field of operation today. The artefacts on display at the Maison de l’Archéologie all come from excavations carried out in Thérouanne and the surrounding area. They belong to the collections of the museums of Saint-Omer, the Thérouanne Town Hall and the French State.
The history of the excavations carried out in the town since the late 19th century is displayed on a touchscreen at the end of the tour.
To extend your visit
- Explore the Archaeological site and town center of Thérouanne.
Discover the historic city of thérouanne
- Discover the treasured revealed by archaeologists at the site of the ancient cathedral and on Rue Saint-Jean during their excavations.
Discover the “Thérouanne Archéologique” application
The Maison du Patrimoine in Saint-Omer
Your journey through time continues. Discover other facets of Audomarois and Morini history, architecture, and landscapes by visiting the Maison du Patrimoine in Saint-Omer.
Le Pays d’art et d’histoire (The Land of Art and History)
Since 2014, 32 municipalities in the Communauté d’Agglomération du Pays de Saint-Omer (CAPSO) have made up the Pays d’art et d’histoire de Saint-Omer (Saint-Omer Land of Art and History). They were eligible for the label because they have made a significant commitment to helping their residents take ownership of their heritage and to conserving and promoting that asset.
This label was formalised by the signing of a ten-year agreement between CAPSO and the Ministry of Culture, setting objectives such as the creation of an Architecture and Heritage Interpretation Centre. The Pays de Saint-Omer Agency is in charge of promoting this label.
Interpretation Centre of Architecture and Heritage
The Maison de l’Archéologie and the Maison du Patrimoine are the two sites that make up the Centre d’interprétation de l’architecture et du patrimoine du Pays d’art et d’histoire de Saint-Omer (Saint-Omer Centre for Architecture and Heritage Interpretation). They aim to raise public awareness of labelled heritage sites, whether built or landscaped, and to communicate their latest news.
Cutural Mediators are continuously present in the exhibition spaces to answer visitors’ questions and guide their exploration of these local resources. They ensure a clear understanding of the labeled territory to inspire its discovery.
La Maison de la Morinie (House of the Morini)
The Maison de l’Archéologie is located on the ground floor of the Maison de la Morinie, a CAPSO community facility comprising four other entities: a France Services centre, a health centre, a branch of the Intercommunal Social Action Centre, which houses a social grocery store, and a facility managed by La Station, which houses a FabLab and a co-working space.
