Departmental Museum of Archaeology and Prehistory of Martinique

The Museum of Pre-Columbian Archaeology and Prehistory was created in 1970 in a former military commissariat from the 19ᵉ century. This building is a witness to the military and colonial past of Fort-de-France. It brings together a collection that bears witness to the prehistoric history of Martinique and more broadly of the Lesser Antilles.

It highlights the rich archaeological heritage of Martinique. This museum relates 4,000 years of history. It builds a bridge between the Martinique people and the history of the Amerindian civilization.

Its collection is considered one of the richest in the Lesser Antilles and traces the life of the island's first inhabitants. It gathers more than 3,000 objects from the pre-Columbian era. You will see ceramics, usual or ritual objects made of stones, shells or animal bones. The museum devotes 380 m² to its collections. You will discover the civilization of the Arawak-speaking Amerindians. 

Follow the guide.

The museum is divided into 3 sections: temporary collections, objects discovered during archaeological digs and objects related to ethnology.

First floor

We invite you to discover on the first floor, an impressive collection of several hundred objects collected during archaeological excavations conducted on the island or private collections.

You will admire the ability of these peoples to make various objects such as earthenware, adornments (stylized decorations of human beings, animals or sometimes a mixture of both that adorned the handles of vases) and everyday tools. 

Second floor

The second floor is entirely dedicated to the daily life of the Amerindians, a people of fishermen, gatherers and farmers.

It is a plunge into the past where each object exhibited tells the story of the daily life of the Amerindian people. You will admire the richness of their clothing, their ornaments, tools related to their daily activities or their rituals, weapons and many musical instruments. 

First floor

The ground floor of the museum is dedicated to temporary exhibitions.

The Museum of Pre-Columbian Archaeology and Prehistory has a library. It is full of old books and documents that relate the history of the Lesser Antilles and its settlement. You can access it during opening hours and by appointment.

Enriching, preserving and transmitting: the keys to success.

In 2003, the museum obtained the "Musée de France" label.
By enriching its collection from year to year, the museum offers visitors the opportunity to better understand the history of Martinique playfully. Thanks to different disciplines such as history, botany, archaeology, anthropology, the museum opens the doors to a world that has disappeared but still resonates.

During your visit you will discover through thematic rooms all the richness of this community people. Enriched by a sound, pictorial and material device, this museum is a time machine and will not leave you indifferent.
Curator of the old,, the museum of pre-Columbian archaeology and prehistory looks to the future. Indeed, it offers to the visitors a series of documents and photographs of the island. This allows visitors to understand the geographical, social and cultural evolution of this little piece of paradise.