Culture in Concarneau

Cultural Activities

Museums in Concarneau

The Museum of Fishing

• Presentation
• The Museum of Fishing in Concarneau
• History of the museum
• The permanent collections
• The spaces of visit
• The Floating Museum
• Maritime Aquariums
• Models

Exhibitions:
• On the 40 years of the Museum of Fishing, in may and june
• Sailors of Finistere until mai !

The history of the museum

Buildings loaded with history

Situated in the Concarneau's historic heart, the Museum of the fishing occupies buildings printed by the history of the city.

At first was a chapel, the foundation of which gets lost in the vibrations of the XV-th century. Called Notre Dame de Conq, or more usually Notre Dame du Portail  (in reference to its situation in the entry of the Closed City) and finally Chapelle du Rosaire, it is used until XIX-th century. It is classified Ancient memorial today.

In 1828, the chapel sees attributing a new function: it becomes the first lighthouse of the region !

Ten years later, the chapel was used as store to the Army, which transforms it into barracks. The Caserne Hervo will serve during all second half of the XIX-th century.

During the XX-th century, some buildings are reconverted to Municipal School then to School of fishing, the others in Maritime Cooperative, before being gracefully given to the Museum, by Concarneau's city hall.

The creation of the very first Museum of the fishing in France

The Museum of Concarneau's fishing was inaugurated on July 8, 1961: it is about the first French museum of this type. At the origin of this project, some personalities keen on maritime history: the shipowner Marcel Chevannes, the bookseller Emile Le Tendre, the Mayor of the city Charles Linement and the artist-painter Charles Viaud who will be the first conservative of the Museum.

The association, of type "loi de 1901" of the "Friends of the Museum of the fishing", which always manages the establishment, had reunited a heterogeneous collection of objects, by its donations, the loans of the other museums, but also thanks to the generosity of citizens interested in this innovative museum.

More than 11 000 guests released an 1F entrance fee and went through the rooms of the Museum during the 2 months of opening of year 1961.

A fast growth

The Museum sees every year its collections getting bigger, and more and more guests to cross its walls. The conservative Charles Viaud spreads the Museum to the nearby buildings, bought by the City hall from the Maritime Cooperative.

The new room is opened in 1969: the Museum presents then real fishing boats as well as a room of aquariums, on more than 500 m2.

1975: A new run-up

Following the death of Charles Viaud in 1975, Hervé Gloux becomes conservative. Also artist, the new major of the Museum of the fishing worked as naval architect under all the latitudes before bringing in to put his suitcases in his Concarneau's home town.

A new construction site opens in 1976: the Chapelle du Rosaire adjoining the Museum is renewed, and a new building connects the various rooms among them.

The Museum of Concarneau's fishing enters the circle of the most beautiful maritime museums of the world

The presentation of rooms as well as the collections evolve every year, and aquariums are completely redone in 1983.

By welcoming in its quay the trawler Hemerica, the Museum becomes in 1987 the very first "floating museum" in France.

These efforts are recognized at the moment by the international level. In 1987, his conservative of the Museum of the fishing Hervé Gloux is elected to represent France to the International Congress of Maritime Museums.

1990's: the foundations of the current Museum

In 1990 is constructed the last part of the Museum, which allows a continuous visit of the rooms. This new space will be dedicated to the presentation of the history of peaches in the world since the prehistory.

The new building allows as well to affect a room freed to the already project of the conservative: the realization of temporary exhibitions. The very first, entitled "knots and the art of the sailor", will be born in 1993.

Two years later is finished the space "Industries Appendices", which presents in ten subjects the shipbuilding, the salterns and the various processes of conservation of the fish.

Since his opening, numerous personalities did to the Museum the honor of a visit: François Mitterand, Eric Tabarly, Henri Quéffelec, Marin Marie, Emma Bonnino, Pierre Tchernia and even the Queen mother of England.

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