National Maritime Museum

Housed in the Palais de Chaillot, the National Navy Museum enjoys an ideal location on the Place du Trocadéro, facing the Eiffel Tower that dominates the landscape on the opposite bank of the Seine. This neighbour to the Museum of Humanity and the Architecture & Heritage Centre has undergone major renovation work.

A new adventure at sea

Redesigned from prow to stern, the museum tour is now a living, interactive experience intended for all age groups. It rouses curiosity and wonderment while raising questions about the great challenges facing our blue planet. All of this in a breathtakingly well-designed tour.

Steeped in history going back to 1748, the museum boasts one of the world’s oldest collections. Its exhibitions employ innovative, interactive technologies in a brand new layout. At the start of the tour, visitors discover the life-sized stern of a ship. You’ll then see an immersive film projected onto a huge semi-circular screen. The rest of the tour alternates between different zones representing ‘ports of call’ and ‘maritime crossings’, turning the visitor’s exhibition experience into a whole ocean cruise.
The ports of call shine a spotlight on the museum’s collection.
At the ‘Construct and Instruct’ port of call, you’ll (re)discover the museum’s must-see reduced models of vessels. Reduced, but not necessarily small. Some of them are up to 5 metres in length.
The ‘Finding your Bearings at Sea’ port of call explores the art of ocean travel. This section presents the evolution of navigation instruments, from the very first ocean maps to the Galileo satellite.

The ‘Depicting Power’ port of call presents the artistic component of the naval sector. Besides being a practical means of travel, some vessels were also ornamental works of art. In this section you’ll see one of the most beautiful pieces from the museum’s collection: La Réale the ship of Louis XIV.

The ‘Painting for the King’ port of call exhibits thirteen paintings by Joseph Vernet portraying the ports of France in the second half of the 18th century.

The sea crossings, on the other hand, take a closer look at the maritime challenges of the past, present and future. The ‘Sailing via Le Havre’ crossing invites visitors to discover maritime routes that are directly linked to our consumer habits. ‘Storms and Shipwrecks’ plunges you into the stories of the world’s most famous wrecks. Lastly, the crossing entitled ‘The France, a Naval Power’, informs the public on the role and missions of the National Navy.

A cultural programme with a commitment

Passing on heritage and showcasing the maritime challenges of our era… Such are the guiding principles behind the museum’s new cultural programme. The institution has a new 800 m² facility that will host two new temporary exhibitions each year. Suitable for both adults and children, their purpose is to showcase maritime heritage and scientific research, while offering visitors an intensely moving experience.

Fancy a quick tour of the capital city’s cultural venues? Check out our selection of museums, exhibitions and monuments in Paris.