The museum's website states: "Since the 16th century, a cultured Lyonnais citizenry has been passionate about these ruins, their inscriptions and objects, statues, currency, and ceramics... of which they make up the first collections. At the beginning of the 1980s, Lyon became a pioneering city in preserving its heritage, with the implementation of exploratory digs before undertaking public works projects. Enriched by nearly five centuries of discovery, the Museum's collections cover every chapter of the public and private life of a Roman Empire capital."