- Castle of the Dukes of Brittany

The Castle itself is the museum's premier exhibit and the display in the ducal residence offers a double reading, architectural and historical.

As well as a number of multimedia installations, the museum, housed in the 32 rooms of the 15th century Ducal palace, has over 800 objects from its collections on display in a highly contemporary layout.

In seven chronological and thematic sequences it tells the story of the Castle and of the Duchy of Brittany, the Loire estuary and the development of the city, its port and industrial history (shipbuilding, biscuit manufacture, canning...), World War II and the reconstruction, social movements, and the city of today and tomorrow.

This portrait of a city coincides with some of the great moments in European and world history, from the Edict of Nantes to the colonial period and the slave trade, right through to the great events of the 20th century.

Nantes as seen through the eyes of writers, poets, painters and film-makers is another element, together with the many artistic and literary representations which have served to build its individuality.