The building, which houses the National Customs Museum, is part of a unique architectural ensemble of the Exchange Square - probably the main symbol of the town.

The basis of the ensemble consists of two long buildings, built in the first half of the XVIII century. For example, former customs building, in which the museum is located, was built in 1733 in the time inherent in baroque style by the architect Jacques Gabriel. Building on Exchange Square decorated statues of ancient gods, who patronize science and trade - Athena and Hermes.

Customs Palace Museum was opened in 1984. His current collection includes about 12 thousand items, among which can be seen including various confiscated, seized from smugglers who hunted in the distant past. Among the confiscated items - petrified dinosaur egg, musical instruments, ivory, works of art that tried to import or export out of the country illegally - for example, a fake painting by Salvador Dali "The Creation". In addition, the museum has uniforms and weapons of customs, models of merchant vessels, sculptures and jewels, a true work of Claude Monet's "Hut customs," counterfeit money, tools scams (eg, flat curved metal flasks in which traffickers smuggling of alcohol, tying capacity to the abdomen under the clothing) and a lot more.

This museum, which tells about the trading history of Bordeaux - the third most important port in the country and trafficking is called the only one of its kind among the museums of France. He also talks about the work of the modern French customs officers and not just their colleagues XVIII-XIX centuries.