The island of Tahiti has wonderful museums - the Black Pearl Museum, Tahiti and her Islands Museum, the Gauguin Museum, the Seashell Museum and the James Norman Hall home .  All are worth a visit.   Each will give you a further understanding of this wonderful part of the world.

Robert Wan's Black Pearl Museum
Musée de la Perle
Centre Vaima - Rue Jeanne d'Arc
Papeete, Tahiti

To learn about the most important industry in Tahiti, you must visit the The Black Pearl Museum in downtown Papeete.  This is Robert Wan's museum and the only museum in the world dedicated to pearls.  The exhibits show you the black pearl through art, history, mythology, philosophy and religion as well as technical explanations of how black pearls are grown  and harvested.  The beautiful pearls from Robert Wan's private collection are also on display.     If you want to see some photos of an actual black pearl farm and the grafting process, click on The Tuamotos above and then click on Manihi.

Tahiti and Her Islands Museum
PK 15 - Punaauia, Tahiti

This museum is dedicated to Polynesian history, culture, environment and ethonology.

Paul Gauguin Museum
PK 51 - Papeari, Tahiti

The museum  tells the story of Paul Gauguin and his love affair with Tahiti.   His original paintings are around the world and are not in this museum but the photos and copies help you to understand the artist.

The Seashell Museum
Musée des Coquillages
PK 36 - Papara - Tahiti

Exhibits of shells and fish from Polynesian  lagoons.

The James Norman Hall Home
PK 5, 5 Arue, Tahiti 98701

The most famous writer in Tahiti, is now memoralized with the opening in January 2001 of a replica of his home in Tahiti.  James Norman Hall wrote many books on the South Seas and together with Charles Nordhoff, he wrote the classic, "Mutiny on the Bounty".   The home is a wonderful example of the writer's life in Tahiti with his friends and family and houses his extensive library of 3,000 books.   It is well worth the visit.

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CST #:  2037874-40