Musée d’Aquitaine
Bordeaux, France
The Musée d’Aquitaine gives Bordeaux’s elegant streets a fuller historical context. Its collections move from prehistory through the region’s later history, with important displays addressing Atlantic trade and slavery rather than treating the city’s prosperity as an uncomplicated story. The museum also explores Bordeaux’s port and its connections with the wider world. Visit early in a stay if you want that background to inform your walks, and choose the sections that most interest you rather than trying to rush through everything.