Musée Ernest Cognacq

About the museum

The museum traces its origins to the collection of Théodore Phelippot, a former mayor of Bois-Plage and great collector, who died in 1905. Ernest Cognacq, founder of the Samaritaine department stores and a native of Saint-Martin-de-Ré, bought the collection in 1906. He also gave the town the Hôtel des Cadets-Gentilshommes to house it, and the museum opened on August 31, 1907.

In 1969, the collections moved into the Hôtel de Clerjotte, built around 1470–1480 and enlarged during the Renaissance. The building served as a military arsenal from 1690, was listed as a historic monument in 1929, and was transferred to the town in the 1950s. From 1969 to 1993 it also housed collections of the Musée national de la Marine. A contemporary wing was inaugurated in 2006.

Today the museum combines this wing, the 15th-century hôtel and French-style gardens. It presents the history of the Île de Ré from the first settlements onward, the penal history of Saint-Martin-de-Ré as an antechamber to the penal colonies, Vauban’s fortifications, ship models, around 600 ceramics and paintings by local artists.

Highlights

• Route through the history of the Île de Ré, from the first settlements to the present day
• Penal colony area: Saint-Martin-de-Ré as an antechamber to the penal colonies
• Tactile model of Vauban’s 1703 relief plan of the fortifications
• Around 600 ceramics, the museum’s largest collection
• Ship models, including Le Géographe from Nicolas Baudin’s expedition
• 15th-century Hôtel de Clerjotte and French-style gardens

Permanent exhibitions

• Ré, un territoire, son histoire – The route tells the story of the Île de Ré from the first settlements onward, covering trade, fortifications, the penal colony and the rise of tourism.
• Saint-Martin-de-Ré, l'antichambre des bagnes – This area presents the town’s penal history, as a holding point for convicts sent to French Guiana and New Caledonia from 1873 onward.
• La salle des céramiques – Around 600 ceramics, mostly from the Phelippot collection, bring together French, European and Asian faience.

Founded

1907

Operated by

Commune de Saint-Martin-de-Ré

Admission & discounts

Free admission: The first Sunday of every month

Also free for job seekers and for members of the Friends of the Musée Ernest Cognacq.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials
• Audio description

The museum holds the “Tourisme et Handicap” label. An elevator links the Hôtel de Clerjotte to the contemporary wing, and the route through the contemporary wing is fully accessible. A wheelchair is available at reception, and the reception desk is fitted with an induction loop. The museum offers a tactile model of the fortifications, an easy-to-read booklet, a large-print document, a magnifying glass, and the Comfort Duett system for hard-of-hearing visitors. Adapted tours can be arranged on request.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Self-guided visits are free for under-18s. Activity booklets are available free of charge at reception on request. During school holidays, the Ré-Créations workshops welcome children aged 4 to 12, and workshops for teenagers are occasionally offered.

Getting there & parking

From the mainland, enter Saint-Martin-de-Ré through the Porte de Toiras. An access code for the pedestrian zone is provided on request to people with reduced mobility.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Bookshop at the reception. The lecture room and the museum garden can be rented for certain events.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The lecture room and garden can be rented for sociocultural events such as lectures, conferences, screenings, forums or other events. Projects must be approved by the museum management and the town hall. Description and rates on request.

Plan your visit