The museum holds over 70,000 objects in its collection, though only a fraction is on permanent display.
The collection includes a prehistoric Venus sculpture, the 'Venus of Laussel', found in the Dordogne region.
It preserves the elaborate cenotaph of Michel de Montaigne, one of the most famous figures in French philosophy.
The museum underwent a major reorganization in 2009 to include a dedicated permanent exhibition on the history of the slave trade and abolition in Bordeaux.
The building was historically used as a university faculty before being repurposed into a museum in the 1960s.
It features a rare collection of Garonne river navigation artifacts detailing local maritime history.
The museum's architecture incorporates elements of the former 1880s university building, including its classic stone courtyard.
The Musée d'Aquitaine serves as the primary historical and archaeological repository for the Bordeaux region, tracing human habitation from prehistory to the 21st century. It is located in the former 19th-century faculty of literature and sciences building in Bordeaux. The permanent collection features significant artifacts related to the port city's involvement in the Atlantic slave trade. Key sections highlight the influence of the Romans on Burdigala and the development of the medieval duchy of Aquitaine. The museum houses a reconstructed tomb of Michel de Montaigne. Its expansive galleries also focus on the evolution of urban life, local trade, and military history. The facility remains the definitive institution for understanding regional identity and ethnography in Southwest France.
The impressive stone staircase and interior architectural details of the building's main atrium.
Prioritize the lower floor for prehistoric artifacts and the second floor for the history of the slave trade.
Use the available audio guides to navigate the expansive chronological layout effectively.
Check the official website for rotating temporary exhibitions that often utilize the museum's under-exhibited archival pieces.
Trying to see every single artifact in one visit; the collection is dense, so focus on specific chronological eras.
Closed on Mondays and public holidays.
Maintain a quiet volume; photography is permitted without flash.
