Naval Museum (Musée de la Marine)
About Naval Museum (Musée de la Marine)
The Naval Museum occupies Honfleur's oldest church, Église Saint-Étienne, built around 1369 on the edge of the Vieux Bassin harbor. The 14th-century stone church served various purposes after the French Revolution, including a herring market and warehouse, before becoming a museum in 1899. Today visitors can explore over 1,000 maritime objects across 15 thematic galleries documenting Honfleur's rich seafaring past. Collections include detailed ship models from the 18th-19th centuries, paintings, engravings, and artifacts related to cod fishing in Newfoundland, coastal trade, and shipbuilding traditions. The museum also addresses the port's involvement in the slave trade during the 17th-18th centuries. Closed on Mondays and during January; hours vary seasonally with a midday break. The museum is part of a multi-pass system with other Honfleur museums.
Interesting Facts
The church building had a remarkably varied non-religious life after 1791: it served as a theater from 1797, then became a herring market (1802-1809), and later housed both a warehouse and the local stock exchange before the Société du Vieux-Honfleur acquired it in 1897.
The museum collection was built entirely through donations from Honfleur residents, ship captains' descendants, and shipbuilders since 1899. Among the treasures is a special stretcher used to present blessed bread offered by cod fishing captains upon their return from Newfoundland expeditions.
Honfleur was one of the French ports involved in the triangular slave trade during the 17th-18th centuries. The museum is one of few in Normandy that directly addresses this difficult chapter of maritime history, displaying documents and artifacts related to the port's participation in this commerce.
Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
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Museum Entry
RecommendedLocation & Practical Info
Address
11 Quai Saint-Étienne, 14600 Honfleur, France
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