Musée national de la Marine

The Musée national de la Marine stands in the Palais de Chaillot, an Art Deco landmark that serves as an unexpected home for France’s naval history. While Paris is far from the coastline, this institution functions as a vital seaport for the city, housing a vast collection that traces over two centuries of seafaring. The museum began in 1748 when naval engineer Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau presented a gift of intricate ship models to King Louis XV. These models were originally intended as sophisticated educational tools for naval students, displayed on tables painted blue to simulate the ocean and decorated with miniature quays to create the illusion of active ports.