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Origin and history

The Musée de la Préhistoire Finistérienne, located in Pors Carn in the commune of Penmarch (Finistère), was born from the legacy of the Société archéologique de Bretagne (founded in 1854 by Arthur de La Borderie) and the Société archéologique du Finistère (created in 1873 by René-François Le Men). These societies, animated by figures such as Armand René du Châtellier and his son Paul, formed major collections, initially preserved in their castle of Kernuz at Pont-l'Abbé. After World War I, these collections were sold to the state in 1924, before being partially deposited in the museum in 1953.

The museum was officially founded in 1922 by the Civil Society of the Penmarc'h Museum of Archaeology, led by Commander Charles Bénard the Pontois and other local notables. Inaugurated in 1923, it was classified as historical monuments in 1925 for its collections. Designed as a research centre, it was attached in 1947 to the University of Rennes, under the direction of Pierre-Roland Giot. Despite financial difficulties and a threat of closure in 2014, it remained open until 2020, when it closed for non-compliance with safety standards.

The museum exhibited over 300 m2 about 3,000 archaeological objects (flex tools, polished axes, ceramics, weapons) illustrating the Prehistory and Protohistory of the Finistère and the West Armomeric. Outside, funerary monuments such as Run-Aour covered driveway and reconstructed necropolises (La Tene period, high Middle Ages) completed the collections. His archives, preserved at Rennes-I University, testify to his scientific and heritage role.

The establishment was managed from 2014 by the community of communes of the South Bigouden Country, as part of a restructuring project under the 2015-2020 territory contract. Despite its closure in 2020, it still attracted 6,000 visitors annually, stressing its importance for the enhancement of the prehistoric Breton heritage.

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