Muséum Emmanuel Liais

Muséum Emmanuel Liais houses minerals, fossils, animal specimens, and objects from around the world across multiple levels, including Egyptian antiquities and local archaeological finds from the Cotentin region. The collections bring together European and non-European artifacts to show the history of nature and human cultures side by side.

The museum began in 1832 as a private collection by François-Henri Duchevreuil, gathering archaeological finds, coins, and natural history objects. Throughout the 1800s the holdings grew through gifts like an Egyptian mummy in a sarcophagus from Admiral Troude, which the scholar Jean-François Champollion later verified.

The upper level presents ethnographic and archaeological artifacts from Cotentin research, together with Egyptian antiques and objects from Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

The building is currently undergoing renovations and the indoor collections are not open to visitors, though the botanical garden and greenhouses outside remain accessible. Check ahead before visiting to confirm when the interior reopens.

The collection includes an Egyptian mummy in a sarcophagus gifted by Admiral Troude, known for its scholarly importance in the museum's holdings. This mummy represents a rare example of how seafarers brought exotic treasures to regional museums during the 1800s.

Location: Cherbourg-en-Cotentin

Inception: 1832

Fee: No

Address: Parc Emmanuel Liais, rue de l'Abbaye, Cherbourg-Octeville, 50100 Cherbourg-en-Cotentin

Opening Hours: off

Phone: +33233535161

Website: https://cherbourg.fr/infos-services/culture-et-loisirs/musees/museum-emmanuel-liais-320.html

GPS coordinates: 49.64299,-1.62947

Latest update: December 14, 2025 20:30