Musée du Nouveau Monde, Maritime heritage museum in La Rochelle, France.
The Musée du Nouveau Mondo is housed in an 18th-century mansion and displays paintings, drawings, maps, and decorative art objects. The rooms showcase items that record the connections and exchange between France and territories across the Atlantic.
The building was created in 1780 when merchant Aimé-Benjamin Fleuriau merged two houses into one grand residence. His trading activities with Santo Domingo shaped the purpose of this newly combined structure.
The collections reveal the maritime trade routes that connected France to distant ports, showing how goods, people, and ideas moved across the Atlantic. Walking through the rooms, you encounter objects that testify to these long-distance relationships and their impact on local life.
The museum opens most days in the afternoon and extends into the evening on some days, allowing time to walk through the collections at your own pace. Guided tours are available if you want to learn more about the displayed items and their stories.
A substantial sculpture by artist Ousmane Sow greets visitors in the courtyard, creating a striking contrast with the classical mansion. This contemporary work sets the tone for understanding how the past and present perspectives on global connections intersect.
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