The Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions

A little history to start 

Are you looking for enriching activities in Martinique? Don't miss the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions. It is located in the community of Saint-Esprit, formerly called "Les Coulisses".

This museum presents the rich cultural heritage of Martinique. The commune of Saint-Esprit has become a place not to be missed for tourists who set down their luggage on the island. Its economy developed in the 18th century thanks to the cultivation of sugar cane. Today, it has been able to develop and preserve its heritage, particularly through its historical monuments. Also, some huts and Creole houses are still standing on its territory. The museum invites you to discover this heritage which is so dear to it.

Why visit this museum? 

The Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions was created in 1987 and invites its visitors to discover the history of the island.
Take a step back in time and discover the traditional objects and furniture of the middle-class homes. You can also learn about the life of the peasants in the past, notably with tools and costumes. Everything is here to take you back to another time.

In the Museum of Folk Art and Traditions you can learn a lot about the way of life of the inhabitants in the past. Customs and traditions are not forgotten, you will know everything. It is a good way to get together with your family, while learning about the island and its rich cultural heritage. 
Thanks to the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions, the island preserves its history and cultural heritage. Moreover, it is the main asset of the municipality in terms of tourism.

What does it offer you? 

The visit to the museum is divided into three parts, in three different rooms.

The first room, "les coulisses" presents the geological history of Martinique, more particularly the history of the commune of Saint-Esprit. The term "coulisses" refers to the slopes installed in the past by the inhabitants to facilitate the transport of products.
Texts and religious objects from the commune and the slave period are also presented. This allows a better travel through this historical period.

The second room, "Gran Kay" transports you to a bourgeois universe. It presents the traditional furniture of the mansions and bourgeois homes. For a total immersion, you also have access to the Creole costume. Without forgetting the old objects such as tools, crockery or even toys.

Finally, the third room, "la Ri Kaz Nèg" plunges you into the peasant life of the beginning of the century. Have access to a reconstitution of a wooden hut "ti baume". It is a strong and realistic way to transport you in this time of colonization and slavery.

Come out of these three rooms filled with emotions with knowledge and another look at the population of the island that welcomes you. If you are part of the Martinican population, it is your own history that you will discover and pass on to future generations.
What could be better than a museum, with real objects and a real history to immerse yourself in another time?