The best museums French Guiana

The museum features an ever-expanding collection of live specimens of tarantulas, matutous and other beauties. The impressive butterfly collection includes rare specimens. In addition to insects endemic to French Guiana, you can see Amerindian pottery, stamped bricks from the four corners of French Guiana and, last but not least, blown bottles found on gold-panning sites (the oldest dates back to the ^17th century). A word of advice: arrive early, as tours fill up fast. And this is an astonishing visit, not to be missed!

This architecture and heritage interpretation center, opened in 2015 in the Transportation camp, highlights the history of the penal colony and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. In the various cells, interviews with Saint-Laurent residents are displayed, giving a glimpse into a bygone world: that of the prison administration. A moving historical journey through the eyes of the descendants of transporters and merchants who saw these groups of convicts in "striped pyjamas" pass by every morning. A recommended complement to a visit to the camp.

The Musée de l'Espace is a complementary visit to the CSG, which aeronautics fans and other cosmo-curious visitors won't want to miss: themed tour, interactive animations, real-life models, selection of scientific and technical films, educational and interactive multimedia space where children can linger for a long time, temporary exhibitions... There's plenty to do! There's also a small store selling books on the history of the site and souvenirs (posters, models, gadgets, caps, etc.).

Housed in a mansion built in 1870 by a family of gold miners, the Musée des Cultures Guyanaises aims to showcase Guiana's heritage. It offers comprehensive documentation on French Guiana and a fine collection of objects testifying to a rich history and the presence of numerous ethnic groups. Enriched by engravings and various publications, the temporary exhibitions enable visitors to familiarize themselves with the region. Large documentation room upstairs.

This Ecomuseum traces the history of the Approuague, from the Amerindians to the region's current challenges. The vast Aubin-Laigné Creole house reveals the local history and natural environments that make up the entire Approuague-Kaw territory. Outside the house, the old sawmill offers an insight into woodworking, alongside a range of machinery linked to the sugar, rum and cocoa industries. An ideal stop-off to familiarize yourself with Régina's heritage.

A beautiful blue Creole house dating from 1842, which houses the municipal library and a museum with collections on Guiana's fauna, history, peoples and crafts. Not forgetting the string of paintings by former convict Francis Lagrange. This heritage building, in critical condition, has been selected by the Mission Patrimoine 2021 (led by the French Ministry of Culture and FDJ) for a thorough restoration.

An exhibition hall of almost 350 square meters rich with over 2,000 works by artists from West Guiana, CARMA is the initiative of Patrick Lacaisse, a French artist who opened this art center and artists' residence in 2014. The Chercheurs d'Art association (contemporary and traditional artists, teachers and researchers) is thus able to fulfill its mission of promoting Guyanese artistic creation. Beautiful exhibition of crafts from yesterday and today.