Maison de Monsieur Sax

A magical place, dedicated to the inventor of the saxophone

Dinant, his home town, now has a special centre entirely devoted to Adolphe Sax, the genius who invented the saxophone. Not a museum, but an interpretive centre that explores his life and work. La Maison de Monsieur Sax (the House of Mister Sax) invites you to discover this extraordinary genius, his revolutionary musical and technical achievements, his amazing inventions, the endless challenges he faced, his successes, his failures, and his eventful, hectic life. It offers you a unique opportunity to better understand the wonderful story of the saxophone, through an original and entertaining presentation that is a delight for the eye – and for the ear, thanks to its sound effects and musical extracts. 

The interpretive centre can be found at 37 Rue Sax, in a building that stands where the house in which Adolphe Sax was born in 1814 once stood. An "Anamorphoses Trail", consisting of seven contemporary "totem poles" that evoke each member of the saxophone family (sopranino, soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, and contrabass), guides you towards it. The visitor can take a break after this stroll, sitting alongside Adolphe Sax on a bench in front of the House, before entering and exploring the new centre, walking along its saxophone-shaped floor, turning the pages of the giant book that contains declarations of love addressed to the saxophone by the likes of Bizet and Berlioz, making the instruments speak, reading the trilingual (French, Dutch, and English) texts on the walls and in light boxes set into the floor, admiring the giant facsimile of the patent granted to the inventor of the saxophone, and more. An essential visit for anyone wanting to learn about Adolphe Sax, before heading on – why not? – to the Maison de la Pataphonie, another of Dinant's major interactive musical attractions.

Visitor information:

• Address: 37 Rue Sax, 5500 Dinant
• Admission free
• Open all year, 7/7, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  (Extended opening hours in the summer)

A virtual visit?