The must-see museums of the Opal Coast

The Opal Coast is an area rich in culture, wildlife and history… The many museums dotted across the region are proof of that. Here's our selection of must-see museums to visit on the Opal Coast.

La Maison de la Baie de Somme

The Somme bay is a natural site where many animal species have made their home, including birds and the famous seals. La Maison de la Baie de Somme lets you discover this exceptional local wildlife. It traces the geographical and climatic challenges of the past that shaped the Opal Coast as we know it today, as well as today's challenges, which will shape its future. And with its outdoor visiting area around its stretches of water, it's a living museum on offer to visitors.

La Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode de Calais

Calais lace is among the finest and most elegant there is. It's recognised and prized by the greatest designers in the fashion industry. The fruit of remarkable craftsmanship, it's revealed at the museum dedicated to it: La Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode de Calais. Immersed in the meticulous work carried out as it was in the 19th century, visitors discover this haute-couture art through its history and see how contemporary designers still use it in their finest collections. Here, young designers rub shoulders with the most renowned couturiers.

Le Château d’Hardelot

The Opal Coast is only a stone's throw from England. The architecture of the Château d’Hardelot makes no secret of it, with its distinctly British style. This site celebrates the friendship between the two countries, as the Cultural Centre of the Entente Cordiale. Inside, lovely furniture and decorations are on display. The site is also remarkable for its grounds. The Château d’Hardelot stands majestic, with its cut stone and crenellated towers, amid calm, green surroundings, surrounded by splendid, beautifully kept gardens and its marsh, listed as a regional nature reserve, which unfolds along a landscaped trail.

Le Musée Portuaire de Dunkerque

Firmly turned towards the sea, the Opal Coast pays tribute to it through its Port Museum. Covering 1,600 m2, it's made up of remarkable buildings in their own right: a museum, three ships and a lighthouse, housing a wide variety of works, such as paintings, models and audio and video media. Note that the Sandettié and the Duchesse Anne are both listed as historic monuments. There's also a trail designed for the very youngest visitors.

Maréis

At the Maréis museum, fishing takes centre stage. The exhibition invites visitors to share in the daily life of local fishermen out in search of wild fish. Every stage of fishing is shown, from preparing the trawler to put out to sea, right through to its return to port and then the sale of the fish once it's been unloaded on the quay. A quay has in fact been recreated, along with a full-size wheelhouse, to better showcase the aquariums where 500 marine animals live.

Le Musée Dunkerque 1940 – Opération Dynamo

The Opal Coast is also an area shaped by history. The Dunkerque 1940 – Opération Dynamo museum pays tribute to the soldiers who fought bravely during the famous Battle of Dunkirk, prepared at the time under the codename Operation Dynamo. Scenes recreated through illustrations, images, models, uniformed mannequins and military maps trace the 9 days of fighting through the museum's successive rooms, in a building that runs its full length. This museum will delight history enthusiasts and visitors who hold the duty of remembrance dear.

Le Musée de la Céramique de Desvres

Ceramics were worked in the Desvres area for a long time: more than 3 centuries. While this craft now belongs to the past, the museum dedicated to it keeps alive the trace of the meticulous skill of the women who worked in this craft for so long. It's their video testimonies that share part of their experience. Remarkable pieces are on display in this venue, itself breathtaking for its original architecture.