Paris

Admiral Pâris’ fabulous collection

At the dawn of the industrial revolution, which turned the world on its head, one man – François-Edmond Pâris – realised that many boats were going to disappear and, with them, a great deal of the maritime cultures that created them. He was proved right. His legacy – the result of a lifetime’s work – constitutes a unique treasure of naval ethnography.

All the boats of the world retraces the tireless quest of this sailor who, being both an artist and a genius, discovered and preserved the memory of a maritime heritage, which has now totally disappeared.

Conceived as a round-the-world journey, the exhibition allows us to discover a wide variety of peoples, seas and rivers, and to get to know both their boats and their cultures. A voyage over five continents, it permits all visitors, young or old, to learn about traditional know-how and navigation skills.

Combining several different fields of study, geography, history, ethnology, art, construction and navigation techniques, environmental issues, cultures and tradition, this exhibition is aimed at visitors of all ages.
It offers an extremely original view of the world of the maritime world.


exhibition
Wednesday 10 March 2010 – Sunday 19 September 2010

François Bourgeon at the National Museum of the Navy

Thirty years after they were first created, “Les Passagers du Vent” (The Passengers of the Wind), have set sail again. After the two latest volumes in the series – La Petite Fille Bois-Caïman (I and II) – were published, it seemed quite natural for the National Museum of the Navy to provide a port of call for their writer-artist, François Bourgeon.

Thematic exhibition
From 3 February to 3 May 2010