MEMORIAL TO THE 1902 DISASTER - MUSÉE PERRET

Martinique's oldest museum, founded in 1933 by American volcanologist and philanthropist Frank A. Perret and owned by the city of St. Pierre, was completely renovated in 2019 by the Clement Foundation. This new ultra-modern concrete building houses the remains of the May 8, 1902 eruption. The new burnt wood façade is a sober yet powerful symbol in the heart of the city. The collection presented in the permanent exhibition bears witness to the eruption of Mount Pelee and the destruction of Saint-Pierre in 1902. The tour, organized in three sequences, allows visitors to discover the city on the eve of the eruption, to relive the sequence of events around May 8, 1902 and to understand the consequences of this disaster that killed nearly 30,000 people and wiped Saint-Pierre off the map. The exhibition presents objects bearing the traces of the eruption, photographs and old films on the city around 1902, while audio guides provide visitors with accounts from the inhabitants and survivors. Finally, the memorial lists the 7,000 victims identified to date out of the estimated 28,000 missing. The collection of glassware distorted by the high temperature and two bells show the impact of the fire that hit the city after the fiery cloud. A powerful experience. It is a great introduction to the city and the ruins of Saint-Pierre.