The Laténium, in Hauterive, presents « L’île de Sable » (Sand Island), an exhibition on the archaeology of colonial slavery, until 10 January 2027. It shows how excavations give a voice to victims absent from written records.
The story
In September 1761, a ship was wrecked on Tromelin Island, a small arid islet in the Indian Ocean. Eighty people from Madagascar, bought illegally, were left stranded on the island.
In 1776, an expedition led by the Chevalier de Tromelin found seven survivors and a baby.
Excavations on the island show how these people survived. They broke with essential rules of their original culture and built a new society. They developed techniques and an economy to withstand isolation and cyclones.
Who organises it
The Laténium, archaeology park and museum of Neuchâtel.
What to find
The exhibition deals with the colonial slave trade in the 18th century. It draws on archaeological finds made on Tromelin.
Practical information
- Dates, until 10 January 2027
- Opening hours, Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm; closed on Mondays, 25 December and 1 January
- Venue, Laténium, espace Paul Vouga, 2068 Hauterive (Neuchâtel)
- Prices, CHF 12; CHF 4 for students, seniors and unemployed people
- Age, free for under-16s
- Free entry, on the first Sunday of the month (free guided tours at 11 am and 11.45 am), with the Swiss Museum Pass, KulturLegi or the Neuchâtel museum card, and for companions of people with disabilities
We have gathered here all the information published by the organiser to date. Do you have more? Write to us, and the article will be completed.
Links
- Official site, Laténium, L’île de Sable
- All events across French-speaking Switzerland, Genève Infos Agenda
Sources
- Laténium, L’île de Sable, accessed on 14 November 2026
- Laténium, opening times and admission fees, accessed on 14 November 2026
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