Fodor's Expert Review Naval Museum of Mahébourg

Guarded by two colonial-era cannons, the Naval Museum of Mahébourg is housed in a mansion built by Jean De Robillard in the 1760s. The museum displays several maps and drawings tracing back to the Dutch settlement of the island. A collection of fine porcelains, dating back to the time of Emperor Wan Li (1572–1620) of the Ming dynasty is also on display. Other artifacts tell the story of Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies Pieter Both, whose ship, the Banda, got caught in a terrible storm and wrecked off the western coast of Mauritius at Baie du Tombeau (Tomb’s Bay) in March of 1615. There's much to learn here for those interested in Mauritian history.