Port Louis, though a small city, has always attracted visitors. Writers and poets such as Mark Twain, Paul-Jean Toulet and Robert Edward Hart have found their inspiration here. Port Louis's storied history is on display in its museums. Take this self-guided tour to explore the museums of Port Louis.
1) Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Memorial Center for Culture
The Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Memorial Center for Culture is a museum dedicated to a great Mauritius personality. It has seven rooms devoted to the life of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. The museum displays his personal items and has a collection of photographs that chart the main events in his career and life. Here you can also see a bronze statue of this statesman made by Alekandrov Moskow in 1987.
2) China Heritage Museum
The China Heritage Museum was founded on February 6, 2008. It is located at the intersection of Remy Ollier and Emmanuel Anquetil Streets. The museum aims to preserve the culture of the Chinese people who immigrated to the island. It displays historical documents, items and materials, which represent the daily life of the Mauritius Chinese community.
Image Courtesy of Flickr and brian.ch
3) Photography Museum
The Photography Museum is a one-of-a-kind museum on the island. Its collection of valuable, historical photographs is housed in an old cottage. The museum focuses on the history of photography in Port Louis by showcasing old printing machines, cameras and cinema projectors. The museum has some of the first photos taken of the island, which date back to 1840.
Image Courtesy of Flickr and John Kratz
4) Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is the oldest museum on the island. It exhibits all kinds of marine creatures and has an extensive collection of now-extinct birds and reptiles. The most recognized item in this museum is a well-preserved Dodo bird. Admission to the museum is free, but you cannot take any photos inside.
Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Jean Andy
5) Mauritius Postal Museum
The Postal Museum is located near the Post Office of Mauritius. The 18th-century stone edifice housing the museum is small. It once served as a hospital, but today it is a National Heritage building. The Postal Museum's mission is to develop philately on the island and to preserve locally-made stamps, which are valued highly around the world.
Image Courtesy of Helen Morgan
6) Blue Penny Museum
The Blue Penny Museum is a stamp museum at the Caudan waterfront in Port Louis. It opened in November 2001. The museum's collection includes Blue Penny and Red Penny stamps from 1847. The stamps were bought in 1993 for $2,000,000 by a consortium of Mauritian enterprises headed by The Mauritius Commercial Bank and brought back to Mauritius after almost 150 years. For conservation purposes, the originals are illuminated only temporarily. Most of the time only copies are on display. The museum, founded by The Mauritius Commercial Bank, also houses the original statue of Paul and Virginia, created in 1881 by Prosper d'Épinay.
Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Sputniktilt
Sight description based on wikipedia