[2] She was the sixth ship (and second cruiser) of the French Navy to be named after Jean-Baptiste Colbert (the previous one was scuttled at Toulon in 1942).

[1] Early in her career, Colbert served as flagship of the French Mediterranean squadron (escadre de Méditerranée) at Toulon.

[citation needed] In late-1964, President Charles de Gaulle made official visits to South America; transportation was partially provided by Colbert.

The visit was cut short after De Gaulle provoked an international incident by delivering a speech supporting Quebec separatism.

The ship remained owned by the state; the museum was run by the private association "The Friends of the Colbert".

The museum closed on 2 October 2006 due to a lack of funding and pressure from the municipal government and local interest groups.