Magic And Machines: Toulouse’s Must-See Museum (7 Pics)

Halle de la Machine, a steampunk enthusiast’s wet dream. A warehouse filled to the brim with wacky machinery and the antics of the staff having more fun than you could imagine using inventions with no practical purpose. If you like massive moving automatons, instruments that play themselves, and pyrotechnic displays, then this exhibit is a must-see.

Opening its doors to the public in 2018, Halle de la Machine was created as an extension of Francois Delaroziere’s company, La Machine, which had been producing street shows in conjunction with urban revitalization projects. It only made sense for La Machine to make its permanent home along La Piste des Géants, The Path of the Giants, during a rehabilitation project in the area with the blessing of the city of Toulouse.

The Great and Terrible Minotaur

Magic And Machines: Toulouse’s Must-See Museum (7 Pics)

Finally, making your way in, just past the literal red curtains, is a dining set for a party of 20 that reminded me of Beauty and the Beast if the living teapots and dishware came straight from hell. Machines for pouring and swishing your wine, bread catapults, and automated cake slicers await your arrival.

When I walked into Halle de la Machine, my liaison let me know to seek out “A Comedian:” one of the demonstrators. It said “Machinist” on their jackets, so this may have been a translation error, but I prefer to refer to them as The Comedians. Each one was fantastic, showcasing all the wondrous contraptions strewn about the warehouse. If you want to bring the family somewhere awesome, this is the place, plenty of the demonstrations needed a young volunteer to show the audience how it was done.

I could not recommend Halle de la Machine enough. This was my favorite activity in Toulouse and may have even been my favorite activity in all of France. Whether you have kids, are into art or engineering or architecture, if you like pyrotechnics or maybe 10 euros are just burning a hole in your pocket, Halle de la Machine should be on your to-do list.