La ville de La Rochelle et ses collections ethnographiques : le cas du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle

Documentary lacks that surround the origin of ethnographic artefacts from provincial museums of natural history prevent to know the artefact story since the field until their coming in the institution. This observation is ail the more valid for the Museum of Natural History of La Rochelle where ethnographic acquisitions have not resulted from orders to religious or scientific missions as in other museums but more of the interest of some sedentary travellers, for distants populations. The ethnographic specimens registration is late in La Rochelle and links with the nomination of Etienne Loppé as curator in 1915. This physician from Levallois fascinated by ethnology and archaeology is going to provide the almost all of the 5500 current artefacts from Africa, Oceania and America.