The Musée National de la Marine Network between Paris and Rochefort: A History of Shipboard Hygiene and Medical Collections

Abstract Simultaneously a museum of fine arts, technology, history, and science, the Musée national de la Marine and its collections have a long history, beginning in 1748 with the actions of Henri Duhamel du Monceau, Inspector-General of the Navy, who donated his collection of ship models and models of port machinery to Louis XV. This collection, housed in the galleries of the Louvre, and then, from 1943, at the Palais de Chaillot, has grown considerably over the centuries, never abandoning its original scientific and technical focus. The museum's specific structure as a network, through the addition of museums that have inherited the former arsenal halls along the coast, will also be discussed, as will the Ancienne école de médecine navale, established in 1722 in Rochefort. Attached to the Musée national de la Marine, the world's first school of surgery and anatomy has, since 1998, been a museum open to the public, showcasing exceptional and unique collections that tell the story of maritime health. This presentation will begin by revisiting the origins of these institutions and the formation of their collections, initially conceived as teaching aids. It will then focus on two main areas: the invaluable series of end-of-campaign reports, preserved in the library's collection at the former Ancienne école de médecine navale. These reports, which bear witness to the importance placed on observation, data collection, and archiving, also facilitate the dissemination of information, a crucial factor contributing to the evolution of medical and scientific knowledge. Then the display case is dedicated to the profession of naval surgeon presented in the new permanent exhibition of the Musée de la Marine in Paris, reopened in November 2023, where a collection of surgical instruments is exhibited.