La Cité de la Mer in Cherbourg is one of the most visited leisure attractions in France, drawing on the city’s exceptional maritime heritage. Housed beneath the magnificent Art Deco vault of the former Transatlantic liner terminal, built in 1933 as the figurehead of the largest artificial roadstead in the world, the 10,000 sqm complex brings together 17 aquariums, le Redoutable, the first nuclear-powered submarine opened to the public, and the largest submarine accessible to visitors anywhere in the world. Through a series of themed exhibits that both inform and entertain, the institution has welcomed over 5 million visitors since its opening, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2022.
Avesta Group was commissioned by the City of Cherbourg and worked alongside architect Jean-François Milou on a turnkey design-build basis to deliver this landmark cultural and heritage destination.
