What is hidden in the museum in the middle of the Pacific Ocean?

In Noumea, the capital of French New Caledonia, there is a museum dedicated to maritime history and French colonial exploration. In addition to covering the history of shipping in this part of the Pacific Ocean, the Maritime Museum boasts ten artifacts from the past that will be of interest to any sailor.

This article is adapted from "10 nautical artifacts to discover at the Musée Maritime de Nouvelle-Calédonie" by Jennifer Champin for boatnews.com.

James Cook Medal

The first European to set foot on the lands of New Caledonia was James Cook. He also gave the name to this beautiful island. The famous English navigator was making his second expedition in the Southern Hemisphere when he found himself on the shores of New Caledonia. 

In honor of his voyage, the British Admiralty minted several hundred medals depicting King George III on one side and Cook's sailing ships, the Resolution and Adventure, on the other. Some of these medals, made of copper and precious metals, were found on the Pacific islands. Today, some of them are housed in the Maritime Museum in Noumea.

Unusual wooden boat

This longboat, used by the steam tug Gouverneur Feillet in the late 19th century, is a precious testimony to the development of boat building. Built using wedges, a technique in which each plank (or layer of planking) is laid so as to slightly overlap the one below to strengthen the boat's structure. This rowboat was restored in 1996 by the heritage conservation class of Magenta High School in Noumea.

Traces of La Perouse's expeditions

The museum also houses items used by the expeditions of La Perouse, the famous French navigator. Among the interesting items are stone millstones used to make bread. Such a “machine” was capable of grinding up to 200 kg of wheat per day.

Historical models 

Among the interesting miniatures is the John Pirie, a British schooner built in 1827. This sailing vessel, used to transport sandalwood, made several stops in New Caledonia, notably in 1847, before leaving with its valuable cargo. The model of the vessel illustrates not only the naval architecture of the period, but also the trade between Australia, New Caledonia and other regions of the Pacific Ocean.

Giant rudder of a sailing ship

The museum's collection includes one of the world's largest wooden rudders - the rudder of the Roanoke, an ore carrier that sank in 1905. This monumental rudder, 14 metres high and weighing 3 tons, was found after the shipwreck in Kuakue. It is one of the few items that survived the wreck and offers insight into the history of the merchant marine in the early 20th century.

Lifebuoy of the ship Monique

The museum also presents sad pages of New Caledonia's history. Among the exhibits, one can find an unremarkable life preserver at first glance, on which the faded inscription "Monique" is barely visible.

The Monique, a 34-metre coaster built in 1945 in Port Chalmers, New Zealand, was designed to carry cargo. The vessel served as a link between Noumea and the Loyalty Islands, transporting coffee, sugar and other essentials to the islands and bringing back vegetables, pigs and other local produce. 

In 1953, the Monique set sail again from Maré to Noumea, where it never arrived. The coaster, which had 18 crew and 108 passengers on board, was never found. The Monique lifebuoy is one of the few remaining items from the sunken Monique. Raised in 1953, it is a vivid testimony to the region’s maritime history, and its exhibition offers an opportunity to reflect on the evolution of safety measures on board ships.

Optics of the Amédée Lighthouse

Another emblematic exhibit of the museum is the optics of the Amédée Lighthouse, the second tallest lighthouse in the world. Installed in 1865, this superimposed glass optic was used for decades to navigate ships around the reefs of New Caledonia. Manufactured by the Société des Établissements Henry-Lepaute in Paris, this lens is a prime example of the technological advances in marine optics in the 19th century.

Gargoyles of the Amédée Lighthouse

The lighthouse exhibit at the Maritime Museum is not limited to optics. The museum also displays one of the 16 gargoyle heads that crown the top of the Amédée lighthouse. These figures, designed to drain rainwater, are also marine decorative elements representing mythological or animal creatures.

The Seine's Double Steering Wheel

Another remarkable exhibit is the double steering wheel from the Royal Corvette The Seine, which sank in 1846 near Puebo. The ship ran aground, but there were no casualties - the entire crew abandoned ship and spent two months in Puebo. The Seine was on a secret diplomatic mission, and although the sinking slightly disrupted France's plans, the letters needed to resolve the crisis between the British and French still reached their addressees.

The ship's steering wheel, found at the wreck site, was restored by students from the Noumea high school. Other finds on the ship included a rare example of a desalination device from the 1840s.

Mercier's Sextant

Finally, the Mercier sextant from the frigate La Boussole, found in 2005 at the wreck site of Vanikoro in the Solomon Islands, is another exceptional exhibit. Used to measure latitude and determine position at sea, this sextant played a decisive role in identifying the wreck of this ship once commanded by La Pérouse.

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22.03.2025