Noumea’s Maritime Museum has been recently rebuilt. A special exhibit has been added, displaying items from the story and archaeology surrounding the French explorer, La Perouse. His two ships were lost at the Solomon Islands in 1788, and it was not until 1981 that the remains of his ships were discovered. Kathy had already been reading about the disappearance of La Perouse, and the discovery of the evidence of the few survivors in the Solomon Islands.
During WWII in the Pacific, New Caledonia became the center for operations by the Allies. The WWII Museum in Noumea displays many items from this era.