MUSEE NATIONAL DE LA MARINE

The reopening of the Musée National de la Marine was without doubt one of the cultural highlights of autumn 2023. Completely renovated - the work took no less than six years - this space has regained its place among the great Parisian museums. The tour has been completely redesigned. Previously, the tour was organized according to major eras, but now it is organized by theme, with a marked desire to make the scenography completely immersive.

There are 4 "stops" and 3 "crossings" along the way. Discover the models (one of the site's signatures), some of which measure up to 5 meters. Then we invite you to see how people navigated at sea before the advent of modern technology: quite an adventure! Then there are the naval sculptures, which adorned the ships and showed off the power of the French kingdom: a succession of impressive masterpieces, which feature on the painted representations of French ports, the fourth and final stop.

Then it's on to the "crossings". The tour begins with an immersion in the port of Le Havre - the largest in France - with themes such as consumerism, global shipping routes and passenger transport. This is followed by the theme of shipwrecks and storms, after a passage under a very realistic wave that gives the impression that it's going to sweep you away, raising your awareness of marine risks in all their forms. Finally, the last "traverse" focuses on French naval power, from the Middle Ages to the present day, with an emphasis on current technological innovations. Among the museum's highlights are the wall slab for a project to decorate the liner Normandie, dating from 1934, and the model of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.

It's easy to see why it took so many years to completely renovate the building. In addition to the redesigned museography and the redesigned location, the objects, paintings and models have all undergone extensive renovation work in accordance with the rules of the art (most of the exhibits are very old). Of course, a visit to the museum is highly recommended for sea lovers and others. On site, don't hesitate to let yourself be guided by La Boussole, the free tour application.