The Maison de Louis Pasteur in Arbois in the Jura department of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté was the family home of Louis Pasteur, one of the most consequential scientists in the history of medicine and biology. Pasteur's family moved to Arbois in 1827 when he was five years old, and the house on Rue de Courcelles remained his personal retreat and annual summer residence throughout his career in Paris. The house is preserved essentially as Pasteur left it, with the same furniture, family portraits, personal objects, and — most remarkably — his private working laboratory on the ground floor. The laboratory contains original glassware, microscopes, chemical apparatus, and the famous swan-neck flasks he used in his spontaneous generation experiments of the late 1850s and early 1860s, which provided foundational evidence that micro-organisms cause fermentation and disease, overturning the prevailing belief in spontaneous generation and establishing the basis for modern microbiology. The laboratory display traces Pasteur's major contributions in sequence: early work on the asymmetry of crystals (1848), the fermentation experiments (1857–1863), the pasteurisation process developed to preserve wine and beer, the implications of germ theory for surgery and hygiene, and the development of vaccines against chicken cholera (1880), anthrax (1881), and rabies (1885). The anthrax vaccine trial at Pouilly-le-Fort and the treatment of nine-year-old Joseph Meister — the first known rabies patient to survive — are documented in original notebooks and correspondence. The upper floors preserve Pasteur's private rooms with a domesticity that contrasts sharply with the scientific significance of the laboratory below: personal letters, a family portrait painted by his father Joseph Pasteur (a tanner who invested in his son's education), and photographs from official demonstrations of his vaccines before French scientific and political audiences. The house was gifted to the Institut Pasteur in Paris by Pasteur's heirs and is managed by that institution, which he himself founded in 1887.
Why it matters
The Maison de Louis Pasteur in Arbois preserves the private home and working laboratory of Louis Pasteur (1822–1895), the French chemist whose germ theory of disease and development of pasteurisation and vaccines transformed modern medicine and microbiology.
Location
83 Rue de Courcelles, 39600 Arbois
46.9014, 5.7744 View on map
Highlights
- The original working laboratory: swan-neck flasks, microscopes, and chemical apparatus used in the experiments that established germ theory
- Private rooms preserved with original furniture, family portraits, and correspondence from Pasteur's own occupation of the house
- Documentary record of the 1885 rabies vaccine and the treatment of Joseph Meister, the first known human survivor of rabies
- Pasteur's original notebooks and correspondence relating to the anthrax vaccine trial at Pouilly-le-Fort (1881)
- The intimate domestic scale — a family home rather than a public monument — offering direct contact with Pasteur's personal world
Tips for visiting
- Guided tours in French run daily in July and August at set times; check the current schedule at the door on arrival
- Read the panel on spontaneous generation before entering the laboratory to understand the significance of the swan-neck flasks
- Arbois is a notable Jura wine town; combine the house visit with a tasting at one of the local cave coopératives for a rewarding full day
- Children under 12 enter free; the laboratory setting and the story of the rabies experiment engage curious school-age visitors
- The house is closed November through March; plan accordingly, especially when travelling from outside the region
- Photography is permitted in most rooms; the original laboratory glassware is particularly photogenic
When to visit
July and August offer the most complete experience with daily guided tours available. Spring and early autumn visits avoid summer crowds in Arbois and offer pleasant weather for exploring the surrounding Jura wine town.
Accessibility
The ground-floor laboratory and reception rooms are accessible at entry level. The upper-floor private rooms require stairs and are not accessible for visitors with limited mobility. Wheelchair access to the ground floor is available via the main entrance.
Frequently asked questions
Is the house English-language friendly?
Explanatory panels are in French; an English-language brochure is usually available at the entrance. Guided tours in July–August are in French, but English-language summaries can sometimes be provided informally.
How long does a visit take?
A complete visit covering the laboratory, private rooms, and biographical documentation takes approximately 1 hour. Guided tours run 50–60 minutes.
Can children visit?
Yes, and the museum is well suited to school-age children. The story of the rabies vaccine and the visible laboratory equipment make the science tangible. Children under 12 enter free.
Who manages the house today?
The Maison de Louis Pasteur is owned and managed by the Institut Pasteur in Paris, the research institute Pasteur himself founded in 1887. The house was gifted by his family.
Is the laboratory authentic, or a recreation?
The laboratory and its contents are largely original, preserved as Pasteur left them. The glassware, microscopes, and flasks on display were used by Pasteur himself during his visits to Arbois.