Chocolate museum of Colmar – My opinion on Choco Story
Choco Story is Colmar’s chocolate museum. We took advantage of the Colmar Christmas market to visit one of the city’s most indulgent museums as a family. Its name leaves no room for doubt: it’s all about... chocolate!
Summary
- My Review of Choco Story Colmar
- Choco Story Colmar: What Is This Chocolate Museum?
- The Choco Story Tour: From the Cacao Plantation to the Art of Chocolate
- Audio guide and interactive activities: a tour designed for families
- Key Takeaways About Choco Story Colmar
- Frequently Asked Questions About Choco Story Colmar
The essentials at a glance
- 📍 Location: Right in the heart of Colmar, 12 Place de la Cathédrale, just a stone’s throw from Little Venice.
- ⏳ Duration: approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- 👥 Audience: Families, couples, and curious foodies—even the youngest ones.
- 💶 Price: €15 per adult, €9 for children ages 3 to 11.
My Review of Choco Story Colmar
I liked
- Interactivity
- All the fun
- The tastings
- The beautiful collections of objects
I liked less
- The fact that it is a “chain”, although these different places were opened by a family passionate about chocolate
- The store where the chocolate is far from being completely fair trade or organic
Choco Story Colmar: What Is This Chocolate Museum?
Choco Story is a “chain” of museums dedicated to chocolate, created by the Van Belle family, passionate about chocolate. Brussels was the first in 2004, followed by other openings in Vienna or Prague for example.
Production and transformation of cocoa, history of chocolate, benefits for the body or industrial production or pastry makers: we were surprised by the size of the museum and especially by the time we could spend there, easily 1 hour 30 minutes.
The Choco Story Tour: From the Cacao Plantation to the Art of Chocolate
Throughout the visit of Choco Story, we find ourselves in various universes, so no weariness! First, we cross a cocoa plantation and its containers ready to be shipped all over the world. Then, we are introduced to the production of cocoa today: the main types, its harvesting and drying of beans, the countries that produce the most… Even the importance of fair trade and fair remuneration is discussed.
Then, we follow thehistory of chocolate by entering the mystery of a Mayan temple… They were the first to transform cocoa into a paste similar to chocolate. They used it to pay homage to their gods.
On the ground floor, the tour continues with a Spanish galleon, the royal courtyards, a former pharmacy, and a “Jules Verne”-style scanner. Each space features collections of objects: Maya and European tools used to make chocolate in the 16th century, Maya artifacts and works of art, chocolate grinders, and chocolate pots…
On the first floor, the industrial production and the chocolate today are put in the spotlight. In a “chocolate” cabaret atmosphere, we admired costumes completely made of chocolate. Or how to combine beautiful creations with gourmet food. Really, we’d eat it!
On this floor, we also discover the modern process of chocolate creation invented by a certain… Van Houten! Sounds familiar, right? We go through the actual process of going from the bean to the chocolate and we admire a superb showcase of chocolate molds, depending on the occasion (Saint-Nicolas, Easter, Christmas…). Another showcase displays various vintage chocolate packaging and advertising.
At the end of the tour, a large map of Alsace lists the main artisanal chocolate makers in the region. I must admit that I found my favorite chocolate makers in Mulhouse!
Audio guide and interactive activities: a tour designed for families
Did you think that the loulous would be bored maybe? No, everything has been planned to make sure that young and old have a good time with games and great experiences.
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At the entrance, we are given two chocolates and a special audioguide. Throughout the visit, it not only allows you to trigger explanations in each room by scanning QR-Codes, but it also serves to trigger the various interactive animations. The animations are triggered once per person: it avoids the queue! There are quizzes, games, movies, photo booths… For example, we only eat the chocolates when we get to the place where a chocolatier tells us the recipe. By the way, there are several places where you can eat chocolates 😉
Without revealing everything, you can witness an exchange between a conquistador and a Mayan king, smell the different ingredients used in the composition of chocolate, have your photo taken in the setting of your choice, open little cupboards that hide noble crockery especially for hot chocolate, scan your body to peel back the benefits of chocolate… In short, a very good immersive experience for food lovers and the curious, whatever their age 🙂
Key Takeaways About Choco Story Colmar
- Allow about 1 hour and 30 minutes for the tour, guided by an interactive audio guide
- The tour takes visitors through several different worlds: cocoa plantations, Mayan history, industrial production, and chocolate art
- Tastings and activities are included with the ticket—perfect for families with children
- The only downside: the final store, which is far from being 100% fair-trade or organic
Want to continue your culinary exploration of Colmar? Check out our list of the best pastry shops in Colmar or our guide to the 12 must-do things in Colmar.
Practical information
Rates and schedules
Admission is €15 for adults, €13 for reduced-rate tickets (ages 12–17, students, seniors 65 and older, and disability card holders), and €9 for children ages 3 to 11 (free for children ages 0–2). The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last admission at 5 p.m.), except in January, when it is closed for its annual break.
Please note: A combined ticket also grants you access to the Alsace Wine Museum, located at the same site. Ask at the ticket office if you’re interested.
All practical information is here.
You can book your tickets online right here.
Animations
Workshops are regularly organized for children and groups. More info on the website.
Access
By car
The address is: 12 place de la cathédrale – 68000 Colmar. You have to count:
- 43 kms from Mulhouse (about 35 minutes)
- 74 kms from Strasbourg (about 50 minutes)
By public transport
Look at Fluo
Hungry?
If you are hungry, check out our favorite restaurants in Colmar or our favorite tea rooms and pastry shops.
Frequently Asked Questions About Choco Story Colmar
Where is the Colmar Chocolate Museum located?
The Choco Story Museum is located at 12 Place de la Cathédrale, right in the heart of Colmar, just a short walk from Little Venice and the Christmas market.
How much is admission to Choco Story Colmar?
The adult admission fee is €15, with a reduced rate of €13 (ages 12–17, students, seniors 65 and older, and disability card holders) and €9 for children ages 3 to 11. These rates are subject to change; please check before your visit.
How long does a visit to the Colmar Chocolate Museum take?
Allow about 1 hour and 30 minutes to tour the entire museum with the audio guide, including the interactive exhibits.
Is Choco Story Colmar closed on certain days?
The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last admission at 5 p.m.), except in January, when it is closed for its annual break.