The Cité du Volcan museum re-opened in August 2014 after several years of refurbishments. It tells you everything you need to know about Reunion's Piton de la Fournaise in particular, and volcanoes in general.
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| Exterior of the Cité du Volcan |
It's located in Bourg-Murat, the small town where most of the eating and accommodation options are to be found nearest the volcano.
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| Exterior of the Cité du Volcan |
Initially opened in November 1992, its existence is largely due to the French volcanologists Maurice and Katia Krafft, who had studied La Fournaise closely. They both died in a pyroclastic flow in Japan in 1991.
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| Exterior of the Cité du Volcan |
It used to be known as the Maison du Volcan until 2011 when it closed for refurbishment. It reopened on August 5th 2014.
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| multi-sensory lava tunnel, entrance to the Cité du volcan |
Covering 6200m2, the new museum includes a 4D cinema, a 270°C auditorium screen, and has innovative and interactive features such as holographic projections, augmented reality, wide 'multitouch' surfaces, and audio-visual environments.
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| one of the exhibition rooms |
In a bathyscaphe the colonisation of underwater lava flows is explained, including how a lava flow becomes a coral reef and the birth of living organisms.
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| one of the exhibition rooms |
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| part of the Piton de la Fournaise timeline |
A large part of the exhibition lets you explore Reunion island and its geological and geographical features, including the island's birth, more than 3 million years, up until the present day.
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| a copy of the first-ever map of Reunion |
Other parts let you seen the human effect the volcano has had on the island, and explores the legends surrounding it.
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| exhibition room about the Volcano observatory |
The Cité du Volcan is one of four museums operated by the Regional Museums of Reunion group. The others are Kelonia, Stella Matutina and the MADOI.
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| exhibition room about the Volcano observatory |
The museum is open every day (apart from Christmas Day, New Year's Day and May 1st) from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. The ticket office closes at 4:45 pm.
