Musée Gauguin

Around Tahiti Nui


This museum has been closed for years but hopefully it will reopen during the life of this book. The airy site surrounded by lush foliage is lovely, and although it's not expected to hold any original works by Gauguin, it's an interesting trip through his life and art.

The museum gardens are home to three superb tiki from Raivavae in the Australs. Tiki do not like to be moved, and there are colourful stories about what happened to the men who moved these tiki here (they apparently died ‘mysteriously’ within weeks of the move).


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Around Tahiti Nui attractions

1. Jardins Botaniques

0.76 MILES

The 137-hectare Jardins Botaniques has walking paths that wind their way through the garden past ponds, palms, a massive banyan tree and a superb mape…

3. Mataiea

3.77 MILES

Between 1891 and 1893, Paul Gauguin lived in Mataiea where he produced works including Two Women on the Beach, Woman with a Mango and Ia Orana Maria –…

4. Maui Beach

4.45 MILES

A picturesque strip of white sand, Maui Beach gets packed and noisy on weekends, but is peaceful during the week. It’s right on the road but has shallow…

5. Marae Nuutere

5.51 MILES

A signposted turn-off at PK9.5 leads a short distance inland to the rarely visited remains of Marae Nuutere, restored in 1994. There are three paved yards…

6. Taravao Lookout

7.15 MILES

View over the bucolic plateaus of Taravao to the blue coastlines and towering Tahiti Nui.

7. Marae Mahaiatea

7.57 MILES

Just east of the village of Papara, the Marae Mahaiatea was the most magnificent marae on Tahiti at the time of Cook’s first visit (according to Cook it…

8. Plage de Taharuu

7.88 MILES

Everybody loves Plage de Taharuu – locals taking the kids for a swim, tourists on day trips from Pape’ete and surfers catching some great waves. This…