Musée du Scaphandre, Deep-sea diving museum in Espalion, France
The Scaphandre Museum exhibits an extensive collection of diving equipment, historical suits, and underwater exploration apparatus in a former Gothic church.
In 1864, local engineers Rouquayrol and Denayrouze created the first modern self-contained breathing apparatus, which influenced Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
The museum displays over 400 artifacts related to underwater exploration, including recompression chambers, small submarines, regulators, and diving equipment models.
The museum opens Tuesday through Friday from May to June, and daily except Mondays in July and August, with adult admission at 6 euros.
The collection includes the original Rouquayrol-Denayrouze diving apparatus, tested in the Lot River, representing a major advancement in underwater breathing technology.
Location: Espalion
Address: 38 rue Droite,12500 Espalion 12500
Website: http://association-musees-espalion.fr
GPS coordinates: 44.52110,2.76270
Latest update: June 23, 2025 11:06
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