"Built at the edge of the Garonne River, in what was once the busiest port in 19th-century Europe, the Musée Mer Marine pays tribute to France’s rich maritime history and uses sea-themed art and artifacts to broach important issues such as climate change and the refugee crisis. The museum will put the finishing touches on its three-story permanent collection by early September; a restaurant, hanging garden, and wet docks housing a fleet of restored boats will follow next summer. Permanent displays cover oceanic evolution, maps and navigational instruments, and naval battles that turned the tide of history. Once complete, the collection will house upward of 10,000 marine objects, including a scale replica of the RMS Titanic, a hand-carved Bangladeshi moon boat, and an 82-foot racing yacht, last sailed by Team China in 2007 but originally used by the French in several America’s Cup regattas."
