Musée national de la Marine de Rochefort Museums in Rochefort

The National Maritime Museum in Rochefort is an essential place to understand the city's maritime history and the importance of its naval arsenal. It is part of the network of national maritime museums in France.

A Witness to Louis XIV's Arsenal

The museum is housed in the Hôtel de Cheusses, one of Rochefort's oldest civilian buildings, near the Porte du Soleil. This location allows the museum to present a comprehensive overview of the incredible story of the grand naval arsenal commissioned by Louis XIV in the 17th century. Rochefort was a new town, created specifically for the construction and maintenance of warships, and the museum is its principal legacy.

Collections and Museography

The Rochefort Maritime Museum presents rich and varied collections that explore all facets of military shipbuilding :

• The centerpieces of the collections, detailed scale models bear witness to the evolution of shipbuilding techniques and the architecture of warships. Some are true works of art, such as the "Dauphin Royal" built in 1751.
• Shipwrights' tools, navigational instruments and other onboard equipment illustrate the daily life and know-how of sailors and builders.
• Marine artworks, busts (such as that of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the minister who was behind the arsenal) and ornamental sculptures enrich the visit.
• The museum also explores the urban history of Rochefort and the development of its arsenal, its economic impact (particularly on supplies), and scientific history through accounts of explorations and explorers who departed from this port.

The collections of the Naval Museum in Rochefort focus on the exceptional military history of the city and its arsenal.

A Second Site: The Former Naval Medical School

The National Maritime Museum in Rochefort is not limited to the Hôtel de Cheusses. It also includes the Former Naval Medical School, another major historical site. This exceptional location, which was the first naval medical school in the world, can only be visited by guided tour and houses a library and unique collections related to the history of medicine and maritime exploration.

Schedules :

• Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
• from 10:00 to 12:30 and 13:00 to 18:00