Museum
Fishing Museum, Concarneau
Concarneau · Finistère
In the Ville Close of Concarneau, France’s first museum devoted to fishing tells the story of boats, techniques, canneries and fishermen’s lives. Closed to the public since 3 November 2025 for 18 months of works.
- Suggested time
- 1 h 30 to 2 hours once it reopens
- Type of place
- Maritime museum devoted to fishing, its techniques and seafaring communities
- Atmosphere
- Maritime and documentary, in the heart of the Ville Close and the history of Concarneau’s great fishing port
- Getting there
- 3 rue Vauban, Ville Close, 29900 Concarneau. The museum is closed to the public for works. The office can still be reached on weekdays.
Who this place suits
- With family
- 9/10
- As a couple
- 8/10
- With friends
- 9/10
- Solo
- 9/10
- With a dog
- 1/10
- Reduced mobility
- 5/10
These scores are calculated from what the page records: official rating, facilities, difficulty, duration and location. They are a guide, not a substitute for contacting the venue, especially about accessibility.
About
In the Ville Close of Concarneau, the Fishing Museum is a major institution of Breton maritime heritage. Founded in 1961 by an association of enthusiasts, it is presented as the first fishing museum in Europe. For more than sixty years, it has documented the boats, fishing techniques and lives of the communities that made Concarneau one of France’s great fishing ports. The historic route brings together models, tools, navigation instruments, objects from on board, documents, photographs and works linked to fishing. It traces how boats and techniques changed, from sail to engine, and covers fish processing, the canneries and the economic organisation of a fishing port. The Hémérica, a former trawler moored at the museum, is one of its signatures. Visiting it usually lets you move from the objects on display to the real scale of a working boat, discovering its technical spaces and life on board. The museum is also part of the history of the Ville Close. Its old buildings no longer fully met modern environmental, electrical and museum standards. Concarneau Cornouaille Agglomération therefore launched a first major renovation of the historic wings, roofs, walls, insulation, technical systems and displays. The museum has been closed to the public since 3 November 2025, for an announced 18 months, so no indoor visit is possible. The team remains active and, in 2026, runs an off-site programme with the Friends of the Museum association.
What you will see
- The first fishing museum in Europe, founded in 1961.
- A setting in the heart of the Ville Close of Concarneau.
- Collections on boats and the evolution of fishing techniques.
- Models, instruments, objects from on board, photographs and maritime documents.
- The history of the canneries and fish processing.
- Fishermen’s daily lives and the social organisation of a great port.
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- The trawler Hémérica, an iconic part of the museum before the works.
- A look at the shift from sail to engine and how the trades changed.
- A major renovation under way between 2025 and 2027.
- An off-site programme maintained during the closure.
Practical information
- Address
- 3 rue Vauban, Ville Close, 29900 Concarneau
- Pets
- Check the rules when the museum reopens.
- Accessibility
- Check the accessibility when the museum reopens after the works.
Tips on the spot
- The Fishing Museum is closed to the public: do not plan an indoor visit.
- The closure began on 3 November 2025 and was announced for 18 months.
- Check the exact reopening date on the official website before you go.
- During the closure, see the off-site programme of the museum and its friends’ association.
- The office is open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 12.30 pm and 1.30 pm to 5 pm.
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- The future route and access to the Hémérica may change with the works.
- The museum is in the Ville Close: even during the closure, the district remains a highlight of a visit to Concarneau.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Fishing Museum open?
No. It has been closed to the public since 3 November 2025 for 18 months of announced works.
When is it due to reopen?
The announced closure is 18 months. Check the exact reopening date on the official website.
Where is the museum?
In the Ville Close of Concarneau, at 3 rue Vauban.
When was it founded?
In 1961, by an association of enthusiasts.
Why is it important?
It is presented as the first fishing museum in Europe and is a historic institution of fishing heritage.
What is the Hémérica?
A former trawler moored at the museum, traditionally part of the visit.
See also all the museums in Finistère.
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Read in the journal
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Photograph: Raphodon · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons