Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Musée de l'Éphèbe was founded in 1984 to exhibit an exceptional Hellenistic bronze, L'Éphèbe d'Agde, discovered in 1964 in the Hérault River. This bronze, representing Alexander the Great, has become the central element of a collection dedicated to underwater and river archaeological discoveries. The museum works closely with the Department of Aquatic and Submarine Archaeological Research (DRASSM), regularly enriching its exhibitions through recent excavations.

Set in an old 18th century farmhouse overlooking the port of Cap d'Agde, the museum traces more than 3,000 years of Mediterranean history. Her collections, organized in four departments (ancient navigation, bronzes, protohistory/prehistory, modern era), include ancient works of art, medieval paving stones, and wrecks such as that of the Swedish brig Jeanne Elisabeth, who was shipwrecked in 1755 and searched from 2008. The course also highlights underwater excavation techniques.

Labeled Museum of France, the museum is distinguished by its anchoring in the maritime and lagoon history of the region. Its location, between land and sea, reflects the cultural and commercial exchanges that have marked the Mediterranean coastline since ancient times. The objects exhibited, from marine or river environments, illustrate the diversity of human activities, from prehistory to modern times, and their adaptation to a dynamic coastal environment.

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