The Salvation Island museum

Back on Royal Island, one of the tourist attractions is a small museum which retraces the history of the Salvation Islands. The museum is established in the most beautiful of all the historic buildings on the Salvation Islands, the former personal lodgings of the prison director at the time of the penal colony. (Click on photos to enlarge)

The museum seems forgotten by all of the island's visitors but the doors are always wide open, beckoning passers-by to cross the threshold and discover the documented history of the three Salvation Islands. There are several displays on an Indian tribe which first inhabited the islands and you can have a close look at a couple of centuries-old Indian tools found on an archeological dig.

Most of the panels, however, are dedicated to the history of the penal colony and describe how the islands were deforested and developed into a penal colony.

There was a particularly interesting display of a convict's paintings portraying his daily life in the prison. Here, for example, is his illustration of the convicts in isolated confinement.

To be honest, the museum is quite small since it is basically just one big room. However, I enjoyed exposing myself to a more in-depth historical view of the Salvation Islands. Like most people, I tend to forget the past and enjoy the islands for their tropical beauty. After the museum visit, I went in search of a nice place to watch the sunset...

 ... and I think I found a nice spot!