×

Mauritius🇲🇺 | attractionsMauritius Photography MuseumBox cameras, old Port Louis prints, daguerreotype era, darkroom trays | things to do and best time to go

Explore SSR Botanic Garden Sugar Museum & FactoryExplore Mauritius Natural History Museum

Backpacking in Mauritius Photography Museum
👀 For curious travelersattraction ranked #9
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

Mauritius Photography Museum is small enough to see in under an hour, so you can slot it into a Port Louis walking day without losing an afternoon. It sits in Mauritius’s capital, in the old part of the city near the harbor, and it rewards people who like faces and streets more than monuments. Be realistic: there are no tour-bus crowds, but there is also no big-budget polish, and the displays can feel modest if you expect a major national museum. Go on a weekday morning, before the city heat builds and while the rooms are quiet enough to study the captions. Compared with the Blue Penny Museum on the waterfront, which centers on rare stamps and colonial art, this place is narrower and more intimate, built around the camera itself.

Discover everything you want to know in the 📖 Mauritius Travel Guide.


example page 0 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 1 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 2 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 3 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 4 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 5 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 6 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 7 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
Loading the map 🌍
CLICK TO FILTER
cities
towns
villages
landmarks
national parks
hikes
beaches
attractions
festivals
regions
SHOW COUNTRY’S BESTSHOW ALL

✨ Why go?
Ranked #9 attraction in MauritiusWhat makes it a must-see attraction

Mauritius Photography Museum lets you see the island’s past through the people who stood in front of the lens. The island took up photography early, with the daguerreotype arriving in the 1840s, so the story here starts close to the invention itself. That matters if you have walked Port Louis and wondered what the streets, ports and markets looked like before concrete and cars.

The second reason is contrast. Old studio portraits show Indian, African, Chinese and European Mauritians dressed for the camera, which tells you more about the island’s mix than any slogan. The third is practicality: it is a short, quiet stop that costs little time and gives you a rest from the heat between the Central Market and the waterfront. For a backpacker with a camera, it also gives a fresh way to look at your own photos afterward.

💡 HighlightsWhat this place is best known for

  1. Vintage camera collection: Wooden box cameras, folding bellows models and early film bodies show how bulky and slow picture-taking once was. Look at the lens mounts and shutters up close.
  2. Early photographic prints of Port Louis: Old views of the harbor and the streets around it let you compare the city then and now. They are best used as a guide for your own walk afterward.
  3. Studio portraits: Formal family and individual portraits show clothing, poses and the social range of colonial-era Mauritius. The stiff postures are explained by long exposure times.
  4. Daguerreotype-era history: The panels on the first photographic processes explain how the technology reached the island within a few years of its invention. It is the museum’s strongest claim to local pride.
  5. Darkroom and processing equipment: Trays,
… read more 👉
  1. Vintage camera collection: Wooden box cameras, folding bellows models and early film bodies show how bulky and slow picture-taking once was. Look at the lens mounts and shutters up close.
  2. Early photographic prints of Port Louis: Old views of the harbor and the streets around it let you compare the city then and now. They are best used as a guide for your own walk afterward.
  3. Studio portraits: Formal family and individual portraits show clothing, poses and the social range of colonial-era Mauritius. The stiff postures are explained by long exposure times.
  4. Daguerreotype-era history: The panels on the first photographic processes explain how the technology reached the island within a few years of its invention. It is the museum’s strongest claim to local pride.
  5. Darkroom and processing equipment: Trays, enlargers and chemicals show what developing a print involved before digital. Photographers over thirty will recognize some of it.
Taken together, Mauritius Photography Museum needs about 45 minutes to an hour for a careful visit.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

Things to do around Mauritius Photography Museum

FULL DAY TAXI ONLY to VALLÉ OR CASELA.

FULL DAY TAXI ONLY to VALLÉ OR CASELA.

5.0(22) 6h
From €91
per personViator
Creole Culinary Workshop

Creole Culinary Workshop

5.0(14) 4h
From €75
per personViator
Mauritius Guided South Tour (Private)

Mauritius Guided South Tour (Private)

5.0(11) 7h
From €100
per personViator
Mauritius Guided North Tour (Private)

Mauritius Guided North Tour (Private)

5.0(10) 7h
From €90
per personViator
Mauritius Private North Tour: Port Louis, Garden & Grand Baie

Mauritius Private North Tour: Port Louis, Garden & Grand Baie

5.0(10)
From €70
per personViator
ROUTE OF INDIAN SPIRITUALITY

ROUTE OF INDIAN SPIRITUALITY

5.0(9) 3h
From €55
per personViator
Mauritius : Full Day South Tour with guide

Mauritius : Full Day South Tour with guide

5.0(6)
From €90
per personViator
Private Southwest Mauritius Tour

Private Southwest Mauritius Tour

5.0(6) 8h 30m
From €91
per personViator
Fascinating Nature Tour Incl Ebony Forest, 7 Coloured Earth,Lunch

Fascinating Nature Tour Incl Ebony Forest, 7 Coloured Earth,Lunch

5.0(5) 8h
From €140
per personViator
Mauritius Full-Day Private Island Tour

Mauritius Full-Day Private Island Tour

5.0(5) 6h
From €70
per personViator

Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?Seasonal considerations and timing

  • Cool Dry Season (May to October): Days run 20 to 26°C (68 to 79°F) with low humidity, so the walk around Port Louis is comfortable. Daylight lasts roughly 11 to 12 hours, and July to August brings the most tourists and highest flight prices.
  • Hot Wet Season (November to April): Expect 25 to 32°C (77 to 90°F), heavy humidity and sudden downpours. Cyclone risk peaks January to March, though indoor visits stay easy and rooms are cheaper.
  • Weekdays: The museum sits in the old Port Louis center, which is busy with office workers on weekdays and nearly empty on Sundays.
  • December and Easter: Local holidays raise prices island-wide, though the city itself quiets down.
Visit on a weekday morning, before midday heat and afternoon showers settle in.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: fair for travelingFEBFebruary: fair for travelingMARMarch: fair for travelingAPRApril: highly recommended for travelingMAYMay: excellent for travelingJUNJune: excellent for travelingJULJuly: excellent for travelingAUGAugust: excellent for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: highly recommended for travelingNOVNovember: good for travelingDECDecember: fair for traveling
mauritius-attraction-mauritius-photography-museum
© Google |

✈️ The backpacker research shortcutMauritius Travel Guide

An offline-friendly backpacking guide with optimized travel routes, ranked highlights, transport advice, and the best areas to stay.
example page 0 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 1 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 2 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 3 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 4 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 5 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 6 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
example page 7 from our offline Travel Guide for Mauritius
The digital guide (246 pages) contains:
✅ 65 highlights, ranked by travel appeal
✅ Optimized 2, 3 & 5-day travel routes
✅ Cities, national parks, landmarks, beaches
✅ How to get around
✅ Offline-friendly for travel without Wi-Fi
👉 Click to see all 30+ guide features

📅 Plan smarter in minutes, not weeks
✅ Month by month travel advice
✅ Festivals & national holidays
✅ Budget expectations

🗺️ Go to the right places, skip the overrated ones
✅ Honest pros & cons of destinations
✅ Top hikes, parks & viewpoints
✅ Lesser-known places most travelers miss
✅ Clear “worth it vs skip it” guidance

🛏️ Travel smoothly without rookie mistakes
✅ Best areas to stay
✅ Transport systems explained simply
✅ Common scams & safety advice
✅ SIM cards, money & practical tips

🌍 Understand the country, not just visit it
✅ Culture & traditions
✅ 52 Essential phrases & customs
✅ Festivals worth planning around
✅ Traveler-friendly historical context
✅ Insights that make places more meaningful

📱 Built for real travel conditions
✅ Fully downloadable PDF
✅ Works completely offline
✅ Optimized for phone use
✅ Useful in remote areas & buses
✅ Everything in one place
Stop searching, start planning
Get instant access to your full guide. 30‑day money-back guarantee.
+ Add another guide for just

By proceeding you agree to our terms.
Sent to your inbox immediately after payment • 100% Secure Checkout
Best Backpacking Travel Advisor 2025 tourism awardBest Backpacking
Travel Advisor
2025
What others say about Take Your Backpack Guides:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Fantastic, amazing amount of information!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My goodness this is amazing, it's what I've been looking for hats off too you!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I think this is absolutely BRILLIANT
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Very complete and informative. It's still missing places, but I gotta to commend you
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is truly amazing, thank you, can't wait to explore it with my kids!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Awesome resource, thank you!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is amazing! Can't wait to explore the ones I haven't seen
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I love this! Well done, great idea.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks for taking the time to make this gem!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This might be the best website I've ever seen.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Congratulations, and thank you so much for your work; it's incredibly valuable.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
In all seriousness I think you did a great job pointing out the important spots
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
10/10 very good
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
As someone who's only just starting to visit regularly this is awesome, thank you.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you very much! I'm going to visit my dad, it's going to be very useful!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is really cool! We'll be travelling for the first time and this definitely come in handy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
You are now our minister of culture, congratulations 👨‍💼
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Just wanted to tell you that this is a pearl! Going to follow your recommendations.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is so cool. I'll definitely be using the resource for my travels soon.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is very impressive! Good work.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is an amazing and informative site. Very well done!

🛏️ Where to stay?How to pick the right area

Port Louis itself is the practical choice, but beds in the capital are limited and the city empties after dark. Stay within walking distance of the Caudan Waterfront and the Central Market and you can reach the museum on foot in minutes, with shops and cheap food stalls close by. Keep evenings to the lit waterfront area and take a taxi after dark.

Grand Baie in the north is the main backpacker base. It has the most social hostels and guesthouses, plus restaurants, bars and boat trips, and buses to Port Louis run regularly (about an hour, depending on traffic). Mont Choisy and Pereybere nearby … read more 👉
Port Louis itself is the practical choice, but beds in the capital are limited and the city empties after dark. Stay within walking distance of the Caudan Waterfront and the Central Market and you can reach the museum on foot in minutes, with shops and cheap food stalls close by. Keep evenings to the lit waterfront area and take a taxi after dark.

Grand Baie in the north is the main backpacker base. It has the most social hostels and guesthouses, plus restaurants, bars and boat trips, and buses to Port Louis run regularly (about an hour, depending on traffic). Mont Choisy and Pereybere nearby are quieter and slightly cheaper.

Flic en Flac on the west coast suits travelers who want a beach and a calmer scene, with direct buses to the capital taking roughly an hour. Curepipe and the central plateau are cooler and cheap but less social.
Best hostels in Mauritius


Best quality hotels in Mauritius

👛 Costs (as of 22 October 2026)Typical daily expenses

Mauritius Photography Museum costs roughly US$40 to 70 a day for a backpacker visiting from a Port Louis or north-coast base, with the museum itself a small part of that.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Museum EntryUS$0 to 5Small private-style museum; prices are modest and paid in rupees at the door.
Dorm Bed (high season)US$15 to 25Grand Baie and Flic en Flac have the most hostels; Port Louis has few.
Local BusUS$1 to 3Frequent buses link Port Louis to Grand Baie, Flic en Flac and Curepipe.
Street FoodUS$1 to 3Dholl puri, gato piment and fried noodles at Central Market stalls.
Sit-Down MealUS$6 to 12Casual restaurants at the Caudan Waterfront cost more than market stalls.
TaxiUS$5 to 15Useful after dark or for short city hops; agree the fare first.
Total Daily BudgetUS$40 to 70Based on a dorm bed, buses, street food and one sit-down meal.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

FAQFrequently asked questions about Mauritius Photography Museum

Allow about one to two hours at Mauritius Photography Museum, depending on how long you linger over the exhibits. Pair it with the Caudan Waterfront and Central Market in Port Louis and you fill a half day. A weekday morning keeps the city center quiet and cooler.
Mauritius Photography Museum is worth a small entry fee if you like history and visual storytelling, since it adds context that the island's beaches never give. Expect to pay roughly US$0 to 5 and spend one to two hours inside. Skip it only if you have a single day in Port Louis and prefer markets and the waterfront.
Take a bus to the Port Louis Victoria or Immigration Square terminals, then walk to Mauritius Photography Museum in the old center. Buses from Grand Baie or Flic en Flac take about an hour and cost US$1 to 3. A taxi from Grand Baie runs roughly US$30 to 45 and is quicker outside rush hour.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other Mauritian attractions near Mauritius Photography Museum

Explore more nearby:

  • Mauritius Natural History Museum—Reconstructed dodo, free entry, glass cases, Jardin de la Compagnie| 0 km away
  • Aapravasi Ghat—Worn quay steps, indentured laborer history, hospital ruins, harbor edge| 1 km away
  • Blue Penny Museum—1847 Blue Penny stamp, Paul and Virginie marble, old island maps, Caudan Waterfront| 1 km away

💡 Not sure where to go next?
Create a personalized itinerary for Mauritius including Mauritius Photography Museum and the places that fit your trip.

Generate my itinerary

👉 Discover all attractions

Or checkout all Mauritius has to offer (think cities, towns, villages, national parks, hikes, beaches, festivals)
Explore Mauritius
Country photo of Mauritius
© Google Images

We 💚 feedbackParting advice and final tips

Mauritius Photography Museum is easy to treat as a filler stop, but the detail first-timers overlook is the caption dates on the old street views. Note the buildings that still stand, then walk out and find them. I would do it right after the visit, camera in hand, and skip the souvenir stalls until later.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on in-depth research, insights shared by experienced travelers, and feedback from the local travel community in Mauritius. While every effort is made to keep the information accurate and current, conditions can change — so if you spot anything incorrect or outdated, please get in touch.



🙋‍♂️ Give feedback

👋 Meet the founderWho’s Behind Take Your Backpack?

Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

This site is built on a combination of firsthand travel experience and carefully curated insights from other backpackers. Many guides are based on places I’ve personally visited, while others bring together tips, observations, and practical advice shared by trusted travelers I’ve met along the way.

The goal is to provide realistic, experience-driven guidance — not generic itineraries — so you can explore destinations with better context, clearer expectations, and more confidence.

Read the full story