Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The collections of the Saint-Nazaire ecomuseum were created from 1983 by Michèle Nolla, first curator, thanks to donations and purchases. They reflect the history and sociology of the country, with an emphasis on maritime and industrial adventure. The ecomuseum opened its doors in 1988, after a prefiguration phase.

In 1986, the Espadon military submarine, built in the early 1960s, was integrated into the collections and opened to the public in 1987. This submarine, formerly used in World War II, is a testimony to the military and naval history of the region.

From 1992 onwards, the collections have expanded to include the heritage of liners, including those built in Saint-Nazaire or sailing on the transatlantic line towards the West Indies and Central America. These elements are now presented in Escal-Atlantic, a dedicated space managed by the same structure as the ecomuseum.

In 2005, the museum received more than 850 works from the Musée des Arts Décoratifs from the Normandy ship. These pieces, including furniture, table arts and documents, enrich the collections dedicated to the golden age of ships from the late 19th century to the 1960s.

The collections cover various fields: archaeology, decorative arts, ethnology, local history, photography, and industrial techniques. They illustrate the evolution of the Nazairian territory, from its harbour heritage to its urban development, through objects, models and archives ranging from the late nineteenth century to the 1950s.

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