Musée Lapérouse, Maritime exploration museum in Albi, France
The Musée Lapérouse is a maritime museum in Albi that displays over 600 artifacts from 18th-century naval voyages. The collection includes navigation devices, weapons, uniforms, and ship models that record the conditions and activities aboard these expeditions.
The museum's collection comes from two ships that set out on an exploration voyage in the 1780s. One vessel sank near the Solomon Islands, and its wreck was discovered centuries later, preserving accounts of this ill-fated journey.
The museum displays navigation instruments, maps, and personal belongings from the crews who sailed aboard the Astrolabe and Boussole across the world. These objects show how 18th-century sailors worked to explore and record their discoveries.
The museum is located in central Albi and is easy to reach on foot. Opening hours change depending on the season, so it is helpful to check ahead before planning your visit.
The Maestro's Compass, one of the expedition's most important navigation tools, is displayed in the museum and reveals the advanced technology of that era. This artifact is among the few objects recovered from the lost vessels.
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