Ecomusée de la Forêt d'Orient

Guardian of the memory of people and traditions, the Ecomuseum of the Forêt d'Orient invites you to discover rural life through its folk art, crafts, and reconstructions. The Ecomuseum is a welcoming space for information and reflection dedicated to the richness of our unique regional heritage. Site 1: - The House of Days and Fields: the Agricultural Gallery, the Barn of Old Trades, the room of antique tractors, and various reconstructions (butcher shop, barber shop, dwelling, school, bistro, sewing room, laundry room, etc.). Site 2: - "The Shop": Blacksmith workshop, wheelwright's shop, farrier's shop, and early 20th-century machinery in working order. For guided group tours, please contact the Ecomuseum directly. This year, the Brienne-la-Vieille Ecomuseum opens a new chapter in its history with a unique exhibition dedicated to a pivotal moment in everyone's life: learning to read in first grade. A sensitive, playful, and heritage-focused immersion into a world that has shaped generations of schoolchildren. 📚 Reading: a universal rite of passage. Who doesn't remember their first reading book, those hesitant syllables, the pride felt upon finally deciphering a complete sentence? The exhibition highlights this pivotal moment when children discover that words open up worlds. Through a selection of iconic reading books, teaching methods, and school materials, visitors rediscover how, for over a century, schools have transmitted this essential knowledge. 🏫 Books that have marked childhood. The Ecomuseum presents a rich collection of textbooks and other works used in French classrooms. Each book tells the story of a particular era, a vision of childhood, and a way of learning the language. Visitors can compare methods and trace the evolution of teaching practices thanks to explanatory and educational panels. An immersion in the classroom of yesteryear: The exhibition follows on from the spaces already dedicated to school within the Ecomuseum. Desks, inkwells, notebooks, blackboards, and educational posters interact with reading books to recreate the atmosphere of a classroom from the past. Occasional activities will allow children and adults alike to try out different reading methods, from phonics to whole-word reading, and to understand their principles. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 An exhibition for all ages. Designed for families, teachers, heritage enthusiasts, or simply the curious, this exhibition invites everyone to rediscover a piece of their childhood. Accessible throughout the season, the exhibition is integrated into the Ecomuseum's permanent collection and features a warm and interactive design. A wonderful opportunity to (re)discover this unique heritage site in the Brienne region and share a moment rich in memories and discoveries. You can also see a model of the old mill and miniature farm vehicles.