In 1972, the Cousteau warned us about the ocean’s future
In 1972, Jean-Michel Cousteau demanded scientific integrity for a Sea Museum project, signaling the Cousteau family's early environmental activism. Their stance helped shape public ocean awareness—decades before marine preservation became a global cause.
In 1972, long before ocean preservation became a global priority, Jean-Michel Cousteau entered discussions with promoter Louis Merlin to create an ambitious Sea Museum in France. In a four-page typed letter, he proposed the creation of a theme park with a strong marine component—with one non-negotiable condition: if his father's name, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, were to be associated with the project, they would require full control over the quality and scientific accuracy of the ocean-themed content. More than a commercial exchange, this correspondence marks the Cousteau family's early commitment to defending the oceans in the public space.
Our mission is to explore our global ocean, inspiring and educating people around the world to act responsibly for its protection, documenting the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the ocean’s vital importance to the survival of all life on our planet.
A few months later, the success of the “Jacques Cousteau’s Living Sea” exhibition aboard the Queen Mary in California served as powerful evidence of public interest: nearly one million visitors and over two million dollars in revenue within months.
Today, as the planet’s survival depends on our ability to manage its natural resources, these letters stand as a visionary manifesto. The Cousteau family - through their name, their actions, and their influence - helped ignite a global ecological awareness that has become central to humanity’s future.
Are you a museum, a dealer, an auction house, or a private collector and wish to submit a document you believe to be important? Write to us and send it in, we’ll analyze it and get back to you promptly: contato@glorias.com.br
