Project announcement 2012 (≈ 2012)
Norbert Fradin launches the idea of the museum.
28 avril 2016
Start of work
Start of work 28 avril 2016 (≈ 2016)
Lay the first stone of the building.
1 juin 2018
Cancellation of the inaugural exhibition
Cancellation of the inaugural exhibition 1 juin 2018 (≈ 2018)
Marmottan Monet Museum suspends the loan.
21 juin 2019
Opening of the permanent route
Opening of the permanent route 21 juin 2019 (≈ 2019)
10,000 objects exposed on three levels.
26 septembre 2020
Inauguration of *The Eyes in Blue*
Inauguration of *The Eyes in Blue* 26 septembre 2020 (≈ 2020)
Photographic exhibition on the oceans.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Norbert Fradin - Founder and financier
Property promoter at the origin of the museum.
Olivier Brochet - Museum architect
Manufacturer of the 13 000 m2 building.
Jean-Jacques Sempé - Exposed drafter
Author of illustrations of *Petit Nicolas*.
Origin and history
The Marine Sea Museum (MMM) is a private museum inaugurated in 2019 in Bordeaux, Gironde, in the heart of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It was designed by Norbert Fradin, a Bordeaux businessman and real estate developer, who announced his project in 2012. The aim was to create a space for sharing between the worlds of the sea and culture. The building, designed by architect Olivier Brochet, extends over 13,000 m2, including 7,500 m2 dedicated to exhibitions and 3,000 m2 of gardens. The museum was originally to host an inaugural exhibition with 41 paintings by Monet, but it was cancelled in 2018 due to conservation problems related to construction dust.
The permanent tour of the museum, opened since 21 June 2019, offers a chrono-thematic exploration of the history of navigation through 10,000 objects: life-size boats, models, instruments, maps and works of art. Part of the collections come from Norbert Fradin's personal collection. The ground floor and the first floor cover history, science and maritime art, while the second floor is dedicated to raising awareness of the fragility of the oceans. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, such as Horizon Liberté, co-produced with Bordeaux Métropole, or Les Eux dans le Bleu, in partnership with the Spero Mare association.
Among the major exhibitions, Under the Seas - Beyond the image (2018-2019) presented photographs of National Geographic, while Sempé en liberté (2019) paid tribute to the Bordeaux cartoonist Jean-Jacques Sempé. In 2019-2020, the Da Vinci exhibition, the inventions of a genius highlighted models rebuilt from the drawings of Leonardo da Vinci. The museum is positioned as a cultural and educational actor, combining maritime heritage, art and environmental awareness.
