HERITAGE MUSEUM

Inaugurated in 2003 by Roland Châtel, a passionate collector located in the heart of Saint-Pierre, the Musée Héritage presents the history of the archipelago in the ^19th century through a dozen exhibition rooms on the themes of medicine, education and fishing, for example. There are also numerous exhibits from the Prohibition era (1919-1933). The museum building itself is worth a visit, if only for its history. The land on which the museum now stands was purchased by François Jacques Mazier in 1862 to build a brick house housing a commercial store, a warehouse and a four-room, five-bedroom dwelling. The building facing Quai de la Roncière changed hands several times in the ^20th century, was enlarged and eventually sold in 1987. Fifteen years of restoration work enabled the museum to open its doors in 2003. A must-see: the beautiful interior courtyard filled with chestnut trees. Each year, Roland Châtel also puts the spotlight on a particular theme. In 2018, for example, the focus was on the famous dory, a boat emblematic of the history of artisanal fishing in Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. A true living space, the museum informs, raises awareness, collects and preserves the memory of the islands. Definitely a must-see if you want to plunge into the heart of the social, economic and religious evolution of the last two centuries on the archipelago. Individual season passes also on sale.