National History Museum

The National History Museum occupies a handsome French colonial mansion built in the 18th century. Its collection covers the full history of Mauritius from the first Dutch settlers through the French and British colonial periods, including the era of slavery and indentured labour that shaped the island's multiethnic population. The exhibits include period furniture, weapons, maps, and artefacts from the colonial era, as well as items salvaged from the French warships that fought at Grand Port.

The building itself is worth seeing. The verandahs, wooden floors, and high-ceilinged rooms give an immediate sense of life in colonial Mauritius. Entry is free. The museum is on the main waterfront road in central Mahébourg, easy to find and well signed from the town square.

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A story
After the Battle of Grand Port on 23 August 1810, the wounded British and French commanders were both brought to this colonial mansion to recover — making it probably the only building in history where the commanders of opposing fleets were treated under the same roof. The battle was Napoleon's only naval victory over Britain in the Napoleonic Wars, and it is the only naval battle name inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

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