Musée d'Aquitaine

The Musée d'Aquitaine, at 20 Cours Pasteur in Bordeaux's university quarter near Place Pey-Berland, is the main history museum of the city and of the wider Aquitaine region in south-west France. Its galleries run chronologically from prehistory to the present day. The prehistoric section includes the Lespugue Venus, a carved figurine from the Upper Palaeolithic, alongside tools and cave-art related finds from the Dordogne and Pyrenean foothills. The Gallo-Roman galleries cover Burdigala, the Roman port city, with inscriptions, mosaics, sculpture and everyday objects. Later rooms follow medieval Bordeaux, including its long English connection under the Plantagenets, and the wine trade that shaped the region's wealth. A significant gallery covers Bordeaux's role in 18th-century Atlantic trade, including the slave trade and the colonial economy, presented with documents, objects and maps; it is one of the most discussed parts of the museum. Further sections address the 19th and 20th centuries, with attention to the port, industry and Aquitaine's links overseas. The museum is built for self-guided visits, with labelled rooms and a logical route, and a full visit generally takes 1.5 to 2 hours. Visitors who want a quick overview can concentrate on the prehistory rooms, the Roman collection and the Atlantic trade gallery. The museum is a good wet-weather choice and is typically calmer on weekday mornings, while weekends and free-entry days, such as the first Sunday of the month outside July and August, are busier. Opening is typically Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00, with closures on Monday and public holidays, and the schedule should be confirmed on the museum website before travelling. Admission is around EUR 6, rising to about EUR 8 during major exhibitions, with reduced rates available. The building sits a short walk from the cathedral and the Hôtel de Ville, so it pairs easily with a morning in the old centre.