Tournai’s Museum of History and Decorative Arts

Located in an outbuilding of the 18th century Saint-Martin Abbey, Tournai’s Museum of History and Decorative Arts houses a magnificent collection of the most beautiful porcelains of Tournai from the 18th and 19th centuries. Key pieces include the famous porcelain set Aux Oiseaux de Buffon, commissioned by the Duke of Orléans. On the first floor, you can admire the work of Tournai goldsmiths and tinsmiths, as well as an important collection of coins minted in Tournai from the 12th to the 17th century for the kings of France and Spain. A highlight encompasses two silver 18th century tureens, made by the two great silversmiths Marc Lefebvre and his son Jacques. Admire the rare silver-gilt interiors from 1787. “The museum’s collections had to be entirely reconstituted after World War II,” explains director Thomas Bayet.