Fodor's Expert Review Musée des Tissus et Musée des Arts Décoratifs

Two formerly separate museums have combined to create one of France's most extensive collections of decorative arts and the world's largest textile collection, which spans nearly 2,000 years. The fascinating history of Lyon's silk industry, so crucial to the city's fame and fortune, is set out from the Renaissance period to its 20th-century demise. Other highlights include Asian tapestries from as early as the 4th century, Turkish and Persian carpets from the 16th to the 18th century, and 18th-century Lyon silks, so lovingly depicted in many portraits of the time. The museum's fine collections of silverware, furniture, porcelain, tapestries, and other decorative objects are displayed in lovely rooms that re-create each period.