New Caledonia museum

The Museum of New Caledonia is probably the best way to understand the diversity of New Caledonian culture through one of the richest collections of Kanak world objects, exposed therein.

The first gathering initiative of Melanesian objects was instigated by the colonial government, with a view to participate in the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. Once the event was over, the New Caledonia pavilion built for this purpose, was disassembled and repatriated in Noumea. A library in conjunction with cultural collections of the French exhibition were then moved into this house, which later became the Bernheim library.

In 1971 was built the current museum of New Caledonia near the Moselle Bay, where all pieces were transferred and could take their true dimension.

Over the years, new objects completed the collection through purchases, donations and exchanges.

Today, more than 6000 objects make the reputation of the museum whose will is to put the light on memory and preservation of this rich culture inhabiting the territory and its surroundings.

Immersion in Melanesian culture

Through this work, the museum today is full of objects of all kinds, whether they are still in used or not: fishing and hunting tools, clothes, many ridge arrows decorating the traditional huts, sculptures, masks, weapons ... that trace and explain in very concrete way the life of the tribes, their culture, their history and customs.

The ground floor is dedicated to Kanak arts and traditions, the first floor more widely presents Pacific culture focusing on the different islands of the South Pacific (Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the Marquesas Islands ...). In order to give a better vision of the Melanesian environment, a large fitted hut was installed at the end of the tour so to learn more about habitation in tribes.

The museum is very alive and interacting with visitors. In this sense, it regularly organizes events, conferences, workshops through the Association of Friends of the Museum of New Caledonia (ALAM), aiming to support the development and reputation of the museum.


PRACTICAL INFORMATION