Maritime Museum of New Caledonia
Musée maritime de Nouvelle-Calédonie
Displays underwater archaeology finds, including wreck relics from La Pérouse’s expedition, and tells stories of Pacific navigation, whaling and shipwrecks.
The Maritime Museum sits by the port on the western side of the city center. It presents the maritime history and underwater archaeology of the waters around New Caledonia. Its most important exhibits are the salvaged relics from La Pérouse’s French expedition ships, the Astrolabe and the Boussole, which were wrecked at Vanikoro in 1788. There are also artifacts from several ships that sank on New Caledonia’s reefs, along with navigation instruments and ship models. It suits visitors interested in maritime history and tales of exploration. Admission is about XPF 1,000. The museum is closed on Mondays, and a visit takes about 1 hour.
Opening hours
Tue–Sun approx. 09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Place des Cocotiers
- Nouméa City Museum
- Port Moselle Market
- St Joseph's Cathedral
- Museum of New Caledonia
- Michel Corbasson Zoological and Forest Park
- Baie des Citrons
- Nouville Penal Colony Site