A must-see for an insight into the history of boat building and the interconnected trades involved.
Located near the Maritime Prefecture and the Clock Tower at the entrance to the arsenal, the Toulon National Maritime Museum was created at the end of the First Empire. A true reminder of the Toulon arsenal, it has preserved the majestic gate designed by Lange in 1738. The site houses a collection of ships and galleys emblematic of the maritime tradition in the Mediterranean. Since the inauguration of a new exhibition in March 2011, the museum has also highlighted the establishment of the navy in Toulon and its impact on the city's development.
On the ground floor, a space is dedicated to Vauban, creator of the first arsenal under Louis XIV. A model of the rope-making factory presents the architecture of a building like few others in France. The central part of the museum houses large-scale models of a ship and a frigate used for training officer cadets. Visitors will also discover a reconstruction of a galley, replaced after 1748 by the Toulon port prison. The reconstruction of the prison hospital is among the museum's new features. The first floor resituates Toulon as a seat of power and displays gifts representative of the Franco-Russian alliance established from 1891 to 1914, such as a punch set and a silver and enamel bratina. In addition to a torpedo dating from the 1960s, and a space reserved for submarines and aircraft carriers, enthusiasts will also appreciate the life-size reconstruction of the Charles de Gaulle maneuvering board, as well as a space dedicated to life aboard a ship, ensuring that the crew remains connected to their work tools.
Translated by Google •
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