New Olive Oil Museum in Luberon

The Olive Oil Museum

The 300 sqm Olive Oil Museum opened in summer 2019, taking visitors on a journey of discovery through this important aspect of Mediterranean culture. Discover the history of how olive oil is produced, and the millers’ art of extracting the “green gold”, in a varied collection of antique accoutrements displayed in a modern, interactive museum setting (soundscape, screens and projections, plus audioguides coming soon). The exhibition was designed by Saluces in Avignon, a consultancy that’s been involved in creating exhibits in many of France’s museums.

The visit lasts about half an hour, and takes in a fascinating array of objects. There are the 18th-century glazed jars with wooden covers, which people used to bury to preserve the oil; antique presses ranging from little family-sized ones to a huge hundred-year-old oil press, and those curious items known as “consciences” – jars with rope handles that monks wore around their necks from the 15th century onwards, going from house to house begging for a little oil for the needy. Curiosities abound in this treasure trove of interesting olive oil-related objects.
But the true centrepiece is a magnificent Corsican oil mill dating from the 1930s, still in its original condition. Jean-Pierre Hughes set himself the daunting task of transporting it from Corsica, piece by piece, then rebuilding it for his museum. Now showcased in an atmospheric display, it recreates all the old-fashioned charm of this traditional industry