{"id":23690,"date":"2026-02-26T12:29:44","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T12:29:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jevisitelyon.com\/?p=23690"},"modified":"2026-06-22T10:53:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T10:53:00","slug":"the-painted-walls-of-the-tony-garnier-urban-museum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jevisitelyon.com\/en\/the-painted-walls-of-the-tony-garnier-urban-museum\/","title":{"rendered":"The painted walls of the Tony Garnier Urban Museum"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Tony Garnier Urban Museum: 25 monumental open-air frescoes<\/h2>\n

A unique journey in France, combining architecture, working-class history and monumental mural art.<\/p>\n

Street art \u00b7 Architecture \u00b7 Lyon 8<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n

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A neighborhood reinvented thanks to mural art<\/h2>\n

In the \u00c9tats-Unis district, the Tony Garnier Urban Museum is a museum\u2026 without walls. Or rather, a museum whose walls are the works<\/em>. With its 25 monumental frescoes<\/strong> Painted on the facades of the buildings, this open-air art trail has become one of Lyon's most iconic cultural sites. A vibrant tribute to the visionary architect Tony Garnier, but also to the residents who shaped this neighborhood.<\/p>\n

In the late 1980s, the \u00c9tats-Unis district was aging, dilapidated, and disconnected from the rest of the city. Grand Lyon Habitat then launched a large-scale rehabilitation project: modernization of buildings, redevelopment of public spaces, and above all\u2026 creation of a monumental art trail.<\/p>\n

Between 1988 and 1997<\/strong>, the artists of CityCreation<\/strong> They created 24 and then 25 giant murals, co-designed with the residents and a scientific committee. These works tell the story of Tony Garnier's architectural utopia, his sketches, his visions, but also the cultures of the world.<\/p>\n

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\u00ab"With the sky as their backdrop, the frescoes are like mirrors held up to the dignity of the inhabitants."\u00bb
\u2014 Raymond Barre<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The route is today distinguished by UNESCO<\/b>\u00a0and attracts several thousand visitors each year.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

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The 25 murals: an open-air museum<\/h2>\n

The route consists of monumental frescoes, each 230 m\u00b2, distributed across the gable ends of the buildings. These include:<\/p>\n

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Tony Garnier's sketches<\/h3>\n

10 murals reproducing his drawings of the "Industrial City".<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The walls of the 5 continents<\/h3>\n

Works by artists from Egypt, India, Mexico, Ivory Coast, Russia and the USA.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Scenes of life in Lyon<\/h3>\n

Tributes to working-class history and the life of the neighborhood.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The modernized frescoes<\/h3>\n

Since 2016, a new restoration and modernization campaign.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The route is approximately 2 km long and can be explored on foot or by bicycle. Accessible to people with reduced mobility.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

Video: Immersion in the Tony Garnier Urban Museum<\/h2>\n

Integrated video to discover the monumental murals and the atmosphere of the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

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An artistic stroll in the heart of the 8th arrondissement.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n
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An exemplary urban project<\/h2>\n

The Tony Garnier Urban Museum is not just an artistic journey: it is an urban transformation project that has restored pride and attractiveness to the neighborhood.<\/p>\n

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  • 1,500 housing units<\/strong> rehabilitated<\/li>\n
  • 45 buildings<\/strong> classified<\/li>\n
  • 3,000 inhabitants<\/strong> concerned<\/li>\n
  • 1.5 million euros<\/strong> invested in the murals<\/li>\n
  • A strong impact on rental management and local commerce<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n
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    Practical information<\/h2>\n
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    Address<\/h3>\n

    United States district, Lyon 8<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Visits<\/h3>\n

    Open access 24\/7<\/p>\n

    Guided tours via the Tony Garnier Museum City<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Contact<\/h3>\n

    04 78 75 16 75<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n