The National Customs Museum is located in the Hôtel des Fermes du Roi.
This jewel of customs heritage is also an iconic building in 18th-century Bordeaux.
It was built between 1735 and 1738 specifically to house the Ferme Générale, a private company and predecessor of the customs service under the Ancien Régime, which collected duties and taxes on goods on behalf of the King.
The National Customs Museum presents the history of this administration, from modern times to the present day, addressing the history of the construction of the French state and its relations with the world.
Unique in France, this museum offers an original and unexpected rediscovery of French history through that of one of its oldest administrations.
The collections of objects and works of art illustrate the evolution of the customs organization, the influence of economic theories on the country, the links between customs and the army, the development of means of transport, and smuggling.
A new exhibition has been designed and is organized chronologically and thematically around several sequences, presenting more than 600 items.
+ The Hôtel des Fermes in Bordeaux
The tour begins with the history of the building that houses the museum.
A model, explained by means of a film and synchronized lighting, allows visitors to discover the original function of the Hôtel.
The context is broadened by the evocation of the port of Bordeaux, particularly in the 18th century.
+ A long history to declare
The history of customs administration is then developed in a chronological timeline, richly illustrated with works of art, objects, and documents. It unfolds like a ribbon in volume, a nod to the distinctive red madder stripe on the customs uniform.
+ The fiscal mission
The fiscal mission, the foundation of customs, is displayed around the monumental balance of the Fermes, dating from the 18th century. It is illustrated through a focus on the salt tax and indirect contributions.
+ Border surveillance
This important customs mission is first evoked poetically through a painting by Claude Monet, “Cabane des douaniers, effet d'après-midi” (Customs officers' hut, afternoon effect). . Visitors then discover the surveillance of coasts and land borders, notably through a terminal for consulting digitized maps and photographs.
+ The fight against fraud
Starting with the picturesque methods of 19th-century smugglers, this section then evokes the main contemporary forms of trafficking: narcotics, counterfeit goods, endangered species, and cultural property are illustrated by actual customs seizures.
+ Being a customs officer
The rest of the tour focuses on the men and women who work for customs. Walking down an aisle lined with display cases between pillars, visitors learn about the training of customs officers and their daily work, both in the field and in the office. Uniforms, weapons, and tools illustrate the equipment and resources available to customs officers.
National Customs Museum
1 quai de la Douane
33064 Bordeaux cedex
Tel.: 05.56.48.82.85
mediation@musee-douanes.fr
Translated with DeepL.com
(free version)
