THE MUSEUM
Discovery Museum
A museum for family fun
Through a fun and interactive experience, the Maison du Bois et de la Forêt (House of Wood and Forest) retraces the history of our Alpine forests, marked by the presence of larch trees, reforestation efforts, and human forestry activities. Numerous games, hands-on activities, and experiments allow visitors to discover, in an engaging way, how trees live, who the forest inhabitants are, the various trades and uses of wood, and how climate change impacts forests.
Throughout the visit, discover the wood microscope, the root tunnel, the tree with holes, the deer hide, or even the storytelling hut… A vast program!
An immersive experience in the carpentry workshop
The museum visit includes an immersive time in the world of the carpenter, with a demonstration of woodturning in our carpentry workshop.
Raw wood takes shape before your eyes, amidst flying wood chips, then gradually transforms, under the magic of the gouges, into a finished object. This immersive experience will plunge you into the daily life of our carpenter, who will tell you about his craft and the passion that drives woodworkers.
The bookshop
Our woodcraft shop showcases a wide range of skills from our local artisans. Turned objects, decorations, small woodwork, toys, games, jewelry, artwork… Everything is handmade, using wood sourced from local or regional forests, by passionate and talented craftspeople.
It is complemented by a bookshop offering a range of books on wood and forests, for readers from 0 to 99 years old.
The forest, a vital resource
Throughout history, wood has been an essential material for life in our mountains, and this is particularly true for the small village of Méolans-Revel (population 318), characterized by a strong forest presence and a history deeply rooted in woodworking. Indeed, 60% of its 13,000 hectares are covered by forest. In 1950, eleven water-powered sawmills operated within the village, which boasted numerous loggers, carpenters, sawyers, and joiners among its residents.
The project for a House of Wood
With the aim of raising public awareness of this unique story linked to its forest heritage, the municipality of Méolans-Revel has launched a “House of Wood” project which has attracted the interest of many public (Europe, Region, Department, etc.) and local partners.
Thanks to the enthusiasm and determination of the elected officials and the support of the funders, the Maison du Bois opened its doors to the public on July 8, 2007. Its innovative and contemporary architecture in Douglas fir and larch is the work of the architect Jérôme Voutier who received the 1st prize at the European Wood and Sustainable Development Fair in Grenoble in 2006. The Maison du Bois is also the first structure to house a collective wood chip boiler in the Alpes de Haute Provence.
In 2025, it's a new turning point for the structure, which is completely redesigning its scenography and transforming into a "House of Wood and Forest" as part of a €100,000 investment undertaken by the Town Hall and financed through the Espaces Valléens program (State-Region SUD).
