Located in the left wing of Place de la Bourse, this one-of-a-kind museum invites you to discover the history of French customs from Antiquity to present times. The Musée National des Douanes (The Customs National Museum) was created in 1984 by the General Customs and Excise Directorate in the original customs building established in the 18th century. The building was for France’s old customs service, the Ferme générale (General Farm). The customs officers weren’t a popular lot at the time because they collected taxes on behalf of the king (with a bonus for themselves), but they did give back to society as cultural patrons. It may sound dry, but it’s actually fascinating to see customs from a historical and economic perspective and its relation to defense, smuggling and even the style of officers’ uniforms. They also have a cabinet of seized items, so you can have a look at what items people tried to smuggle in. Inside the collection of artefacts and works of art you can even find the painting Cabane des douaniers, effet d’après-midi, (Customs Hut in the Afternoon) by Claude Monet and a drawing by Salvador Dali.

Musée National des Douanes

1 Place de la Bourse, 33000 Bordeaux

Opening times

Tuesday-Sunday, 10:00-18:00

Closed on December 25th and January 1st