(Seychelles News Agency) - While many visitors to the Seychelles islands come to admire the beautiful landscape and take a dip in the turquoise-coloured waters, many take the time to learn more about the islanders’ history and culture.

This can be done by visiting the few museums of the island nation, mostly located on Mahe, the main island. Most of them are not your typical museum but enough to satisfy the culturally-intrigued. You will surely learn something about the Seychellois Creole history.

SNA presents 5 museums of Seychelles.

1. Natural History Museum

Located in the centre of Victoria, the capital on Mahé, the museum is where you’ll find lots of information on the plant and animal life and how they have evolved over time.

The museum is like an Aladdin's cave of stuffed animals and birds, such as giant crabs with items salvaged from shipwrecks, as well as environmental information relating to the ecology of the Seychelles.

Visitors can learn about the islands' wildlife and its many important creatures and species like the legendary coco de mer – the world’s biggest nut, its endemic giant tortoises and its once upon a time native crocodiles. 

Seychelles Natural History Museum, Victoria – 248 4321333

(Salifa Magnan, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

2. Fregate’s museum

The museum is located on the island of Fregate located just off the north-eastern coast of Mahe, today preserved as a national and marine park. From an impressive collection of shells and corals to ancient artefacts used by the French settlers of the island in the 1700s, the museum on Fregate Island is a feast for the history enthusiast.

Some of FregateIsland's creepiest creepy-crawlies as well as other aspects of the island's natural history are preserved within the glass display cabinets for the amusement - and perhaps horror - of the visitors. Some artefacts present a reality of Seychelles in days gone by that is often untold.

Fregate Island Private is accessible by sea in around 1 hour and a half or 15 minutes by air.

Fregate Island Private

(Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

3. Lazare Souvenir Museum Gallery

Located at Baie Lazare on the south-western coast some 45 minutes to one hour from the capital is a little ‘treasure trove’ hidden in the heart of the district. While many may not know about its existence, the place is one which allows locals and tourists alike to really go back in time. The oldest items in the museum are some land documents dating back to the early 19th century and early 20th century. They were found in the most unusual way; by a dumpster in Bel Ombre, a district in the north of Mahé, during one Clean up the World campaign [an annual cleaning activity during the month of September].

Lazare Souvenir Museum gallery 

(Salifa Magnan, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

 4. Praslin Museum

The museum, which is located on Cote D’Or roughly 50 metres from the Acajou Hotel, showcases the traditions of Seychelles as well as its culture in general. It also features a garden of endemic and medicinal plants of Seychelles where visitors can view fruit bats and also enjoy a glass of Citronelle tea or local fruit juice. Visitors are encouraged to participate in coconut dehusking, grilling breadfruit and other traditional activities which give a taste of the traditions of yesteryear.

Praslin Museum, Cote d’or Praslin – 248 2524618

(Seychelles Tourism Board) Photo License: CC-BY

5. Domaine de Val des Prés

This museum is in the old plantation house Gran Kaz and is a wonderful way to experience Seychelles' history. The museum has a lot of information about colonial life in the Seychelles. There is also a replica of servants’ quarters, a traditional kitchen and several other areas dedicated to depicting different activities that would have been typical at this time.

Domaine de Val des Prés – 248 4 376 100

(Salifa Magnan, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY