Historical and Naval Museum at Mahebourg

The fascinating aspects of this battle can be seen in the Historical and Naval Museum of Mahebourg, a dilapidated colonial residence built in around 1771 that belonged to the Commandant of the District of Grand Port, Jean de Robillard. His initials are inscribed on the wrought iron balustrade of the house. After the Battle of Grand Port, De Robillard turned the house into a hospital and the commanders of the French and British forces, Rear Admiral Victor Duperre and Admiral Sir Nesbit Willloughby, convalesced alongside each other and no doubt sobered by the appalling loss of men and ships, shook hands symbolising the beginning of an entente cordiale.

The house was bought by the government in 1950 and turned into a museum under the direction of the Mauritius Institute. It is at the southern outskirts of the village on the Mahebourg-Curepipe road.

The museum occupies three floors, tow of which are accessible to the public. On the ground floor wreckage of sailing ships that took part in the Grand Port battle, original cannon, cannonball, paintings and swords and weaponry of Robert Surcouf, the eighteenth-century corsair, popularly known as the king of the Corsairs. A large relief map shows the complicated reefs of Vieux Grand Port where the great battle took place. The bell, recovered from the wreckage of the St Geran which sunk off the east coast in 1744, is also on display. There is an interesting newspaper cutting of Charles Seabourne, who with survivors from the ship Trevessa, landed at Bel Ombre in the south in 1923 after spending 25 days at sea. On display are the ship's biscuits, a razor and the lid of a cigarette tin which they used to measure water rations. In a separate showcase is a Roll of Honour dedicated to Mauritians who died in World War II.

On the first floor are Labourdonnais' four-poster bed, two palanquins or wooden sedan-type chairs, which were borne by slaves to convey their masters through the country and a collection of coins, curios, model sailing ships and early maps, labelled in French and English.

L'institut de Port Louis ou Le Musée d'Histoire Naturelle

Les musées à Maurice sont: Le musée de Port Louis, plus connu comme l'Institut. Adresse: La chaussée, Port Louis, Tel : 212 0639, 212 2815. Fax:212 5717.
Le Musée et Archives de la Photographie, crée en 1966. Adresse : Rue du Vieux Conseil, Port Louis, Tel/Fax : 211 1705, 238 5737. Email : Photo@intnet.mu.
Le Musée Sir Seewoosugur Ramgoolam crée le 18 sept.1986. Adresse: Rue Sir S. Ramgoolam, Port Louis. Tel : 242 0053. Indian Folk Museum crée en 1990 Adresse:Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Moka. Tel:433 1277,433 1278. Fax: 433 2235. Le Musée Naval de Mahébourg crée en 1947 Adresse : Route Royale, Mahébourg. Tél : 631 9329. La Nef Musée Robert Edward Hart (poëte) crée en 1957. Adresse : route de Gris Gris, Souillac. Tél : 625 6101.
Le Musée du coquillage Adresse : L'Argonaute, Trou aux Biches Le Musée de la Cité de Port Louis crée en 1992. Adresse : Rue du Vieux Conseil, Port Louis. Tel : 212 0831. Fax : 212 4258.
Le Musée de la "Special Mobile Force" Adresse : Gymkhana Road, Vacoas. Tél : 686 1011
Le musée de la Police. Adresse:Les Casernes, Port Louis. Tel: 212 1212, 208 1212. Fax: Eureka, la Maison Créole. Adresse : Montagne Ory, Moka.
Le Apravasi Ghat, Adresse : Place de l'Immigration. Port Louis.
Le musée de la philatélie. Place du Quai, Port Louis. Tel:208 2851-5. Fax :.....
Le Blue Penny Museum Caudan Port Louis
Le Musée d'Art Africain crée en1988 (Privé)
Le Musée du Théâtre du Plaza. Municipalité de Beau Bassin/Rose Hill. Tél : 454 4900
Musée du Père Laval. Eglise de Ste Croix, Port Louis, tél : 240 2367.
Le Musée Malcolm de Chazal (Privé)
Le musée du cinéma, (crée en 1979).
Le Musée de la Pierre Tel: 251 0192 (Crée en mai 1999)
Le Musée de l'Affiche et de la pub Mauriciennes. (Crée en 1990) - Tél : 230-2111705
La cinémathèque Mauricienne. (Tél.: 454-5242.)
Le Musée Warwick, Vieux Grand Port