Lorient - Le Musee Sous-Marin
A museum dedicated to life below the sea by humans
"Le Musée Sous-Marin" is not a typical museum. "Le Musée Sous-Marin" in Lorient, Brittany uniquely preserves and showcases the region's rich underwater heritage, with around 350 shipwrecks dating back to the 19th century. Born in the 1990s to highlight often-overlooked maritime relics, the museum visualizes each wreck as an individual room of an expansive underwater gallery. Further complemented by an on-ground exhibition at the historic Keroman submarine base, visitors are immersed in maritime history, particularly focusing on World War II shipwrecks, reflecting the dense naval operations around Lorient's significant U-boat base.
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Maritime Heritage: From the Etel river to Laïta, near the Isle of Groix, Lorient's maritime vicinity is rich in underwater heritage. About 350 shipwrecks, dating back to the 19th century, rest at depths of up to 90 meters, serving as submerged markers of maritime history.
Concept: In the early 1990s, when contemporary metallic shipwrecks were largely overlooked by institutions and underwater archaeologists, the concept of an underwater museum was born in Lorient. Faced with challenges related to representation, conservation, and protection of this lesser-known maritime heritage, an original method was conceived: viewing each wreck as an individual underwater room of a vast museum.
Preparation: Before the museum's inception, underwater images (both photographs and videos) were collected. Additionally, interviews from sailors, witnesses, or victims of the shipwrecks were amassed not only from Brittany but also from other parts of France and abroad. Archival research was undertaken to identify the shipwrecks and contextualize their history.
On-ground Exhibition: In 1999, the first exhibition space opened in the heart of the Keroman submarine base, within the oldest submarine rescue center in the world, the former German "tauchtopff", renamed "Davis Tower" by the French Navy post-war. This unique venue, where generations of submariners trained for shipwrecks over five decades, serves as the on-ground counterpart of the underwater museum, allowing visitors to "dive" into maritime history without getting wet.
Davis Tower Focus on WWII: The museum emphasizes shipwrecks from World War II, underscoring the dense naval operations around Lorient, home to the largest U-boat base constructed between 1941 and 1943. This offers visitors a unique journey through wartime maritime history.
Recognition: The "Musée sous-marin™" is trademarked in France and is recognized as the first of its kind internationally.
This museum provides an innovative approach to preserving and showcasing maritime history, offering visitors both an underwater exploration and an on-ground exhibition to understand the rich naval heritage of Lorient.
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Click here to access the museum’s website (in French only)