Arguably the best of the Bordeaux museums, it covers history of the region taking you from prehistory through ancient Gaul and Rome – the collection spans the famous Venus with a Horn figurine dating back 20,000 years, a gold necklace from 2BC, 4000 bronze coins that bear the effigies of Roman emperors – Romanesque and Gothic times and Bordeaux’s historic glory days when it was an international port.
Uncomfortable subjects such as the slave trade and war are also covered well. As well as documenting the lives of the prosperous wine merchants, the museum covers those from a variety of local trades, from shepherds in the Pyrenees to oyster farmers in Arcachon Bay and resin tappers in the Landes.