The 10 Best History Museums in Aquitaine, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

The « PrehistoSite de Brassempouy » is a place dedicated to the discovery of prehistory, especially of the Paleolithic artefacts found in the Grotte du Pape. This archaeological site, nested in the woods, yielded a great amount of artefacts amongst which nine feminine figurines carved from mammoth ivory. The most famous one, the “ Dame a la Capuche “ (the Hooded Lady), discovered in 1894, is known to be the first depiction of a human face and one of the most prominent Paleolithic masterpieces. Take advantage of a guided tour throughout the museum to observe highly accurate facsimiles of those figurines as well as a collection of original artefacts from the Grotte du Pape. You can learn more about our ancestors’ way of life while strolling through the ArcheoParc where you’ll see life-size reconstructions of Paleolithic animals and human dwellings, but also enjoy flint-knapping, fire lighting and prehistoric hunting demonstrations.

The author of Cyrano de Bergerac created a sumptuous theatrical decor for his dream home. The charming French and English gardens delight the visitor with their romantic walks. A veritable «poem in stone and vegetation», the Villa Arnaga has to be explored or reexplored :In 2014, you'll have the opportunity to admire the renewed gardens similar to the ones imagined by Edmond Rostand with their box wood embroideries, their topiary bushes, their plant vases, their mirror like pools. The "poets' corner " will surprise you with its lattice work. In a word a typical French garden with its perfectly geometrical design ! Open daily from April 1 to November 1. From April to June and September to November : 9:30 to 12:30 and 14h to 18h . In July and August : 10h -19h . In 2020, due to the Covid epidemic, our opening hours are modified. Please visit our website : arnaga.com

Indian, Chinese, Tibetan, Nepalese collections with more than 1,000 objects including more than 100 masterpieces on two levels.

Set in the heart of the city, the Musée d'Aquitaine retraces the history of the region, from prehistory through to the present day. The museum exposes rich regional and extra-european collections of archeology, history and ethnography. This "Museum of civilization" presents each years several temporary exhibitions about history and cultures of the world. It offers to public a varied cultural programming: lectures, screenings, round tables, guided tours, concerts, meetings with foreign communities, educational workshops... Easily accessible from the tram B (stop Musée d'Aquitaine) or A (stop City Hall / Hôtel de Ville).

UNIQUE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE Visit a unique museum in France which is protecting a vast gallo-roman house vestiges, the Vésone Domus. Opened since 2003, in the heart of archaeological and plants park, Vesunna offers a 3000 m2 itinerary of permanent presentation of antique Perigueux. AN ARCHITECTURE BY JEAN NOUVEL Jean Nouvel the building project architect has completed a great number of works throughout the world. He is in particular the architect of the Quai Branly museum in Paris. A large umbrella, which is protecting the antic walls, floats above it. From the mezzanines, an impressive view opens onto the vestiges. Further on, the high glass walls reveal the landscaped gardens of the Vesone Tower and the IVth century rampart vestiges. The building is like a window onto the past which is buried under the modern city.

In the house of Jeanne d'Albret, this museum presents an important collection of objects and documents retracing the history of protestantism in Bearn from the Reformation to the begining of the twentieth century.

Through the different periods : middle age, french Renaissance and french Revolution, Duras fortress has been the testimony of lots of upheavals. The Durfort-Duras, by then dukes of France transformed the castle into a magnificent mansion at the XVII° century. Go through the history and ancient architecture visiting the 30 rooms of this castle, now classified an historical monument.

The André Voulgre’s Museum. Dr Voulgre collected the objects of everyday life that fell into disuse and created a museum of folk art in his chartreuse. Today it’s possible to visit it and travel back in time.