Musée d'Aquitaine

Overview

The Musée d'Aquitaine is Bordeaux's comprehensive history museum, tracing the region's story from prehistoric cave dwellers through Roman Burdigala, the medieval wine trade, the 18th-century slave trade, and on to the modern era.

Highlights

• Venus with a Horn: The 25,000-year-old limestone carving 'Vénus à la Corne' discovered at Laussel — one of the most important Paleolithic artefacts in France.
• Slave Trade Exhibition: A powerful, unflinching exhibition documenting Bordeaux's role as France's second-largest slave-trading port.
• Roman Burdigala: Mosaics, altars, and architectural fragments from Bordeaux's Roman period.

History

Founded in 1783 as the Musée des Antiques, the museum moved to the former Faculty of Letters building in 1987. Its slave trade galleries, opened in 2009, were among the first in France to honestly address the city's colonial history.

Visitor Tips

• Allow Time: The chronological journey from prehistory to the present covers a lot of ground.
• Free First Sundays: Free entry on the first Sunday of every month.
• Duration: 1.5–2 hours.