Château Musée

The Château-Musée of Dieppe occupies the town's old castle, whose construction goes back to the fourteenth century and which overlooks the cliff and the sea. It survived the Anglo-Dutch bombardment of 1694, like the churches of Saint-Rémy and Saint-Jacques, and now houses Dieppe's maritime memory.

Its ivory collection is the museum's highlight. Dieppe was for several centuries a major centre of ivory working in France: ivory arrived from Africa, as well as sperm whale, narwhal or hippopotamus teeth, and Dieppe craftsmen carved medallions, statuettes, chess sets, ship models and everyday objects between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries. According to sources, the collection has between a thousand and nearly 2,000 pieces.

The museum also presents the town's maritime history through boat models, maps, navigation instruments, paintings and engravings, spread over several rooms devoted to the sea.

Guided tours on the theme of ivory are offered, booking advised. The site suits lovers of history, decorative crafts and maritime heritage.

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