Museums in the area are dedicated to a wide range of topics, from natural history to the arts and history:
Le Musée Bérenger Saunière: Documents and testimonies of Rennes-le-Château, from the time before the legendary priest to his life at the village, the decisive role he took for its church, and his impact since…- Le Musée des Dinosaures d’Espéraza: Display of important fossils found in the area, including spectacular dinosaurs. The museum also houses displays of the once important local industry, producing felt hats. Both extinct, but dinosaurs went earlier!
- Musée du Piano (Limoux): Hundreds of pianos, history etc.
- Musée de Peinture Petiet (Limoux): Mostly 19th / 20th century paintings
- Museum of the Inquisition located in the Cité of Carcassonne. It shows elements of the torture and punishment against the Cathars.
- Musée du Catharisme (near Castres) explains 3 centuries of Christian tragedy.
- Tautavel Museum shows how our predecessors lived 450’000 years ago near Arago cave.
- Musée d’Art et d’Histoire (Narbonne): Collection of European art (16-19th century) and … tiles
- Musée National d’Ansérine: A history museum and archeological site of a Gaul city
- Musée des Potiers Gallo-Romains d’Amphoralis: The museum is over an excavation site near Narbonne of a Gallo-Roman pottery.
- Note: Musée Lapidaire and Musée Archéologique de Narbonne are closing in 2017.
A grand new complex MuRéNa will host their treasures and much more.
This Musée Régional de la Narbonne Antique is to open in 2018.
Gardens inviting your visit include:
- La Bouichère – Jardin aux Plantes parfumées: A garden of fragrance – Patrick Süskind would love it.
- Les Papillons d’Amaranthe: A world of plants and butterflies, several hundred species of each.
- Sigean African Nature Reserve: Thousands of animals – flamingos, rhinos, zebras, bears, lions… – in various habitats are roaming semi-freely over 300 hectares south of Narbonne.
- Elevage des biches de Picarel: An animal farm with deer and fawns roaming freely. (Visits are possible for groups only and require a reservation.)