We were entertaining a family member from out of town and wanted something to do in Bayonne. Le…read moreMusee Basque et de L'Histoire de Bayonne is well worth your time and a visit.
The museum is house in a lovely old building in the heart of Petit Bayonne, that appears to have many original old features like colombage walls, wide plank flooring, and multiple exposed beams. The railings that are on the interior stairwell, while newer than some other building features, are lovely examples of old iron work.
Museum guides are available in multiple languages. The rooms in the museum are arranged thematically like religious life, home life, fishing, etc. We also appreciated that there was a room that had artifacts and photos from the Jewish community that lived there in the 1800s. The pieces of furniture and pottery were also lovely.
Because it is an old building, the layout is slightly unusual but still intuitive. It would have been preferable to have some more explanatory plaques in some of the rooms.
One very nice feature are the lockers in the lobby so you can place coats, bags, etc. Parking is available a couple of blocks away.
