Museums in and around Nice

Discover the museums in and around Nice

The beautiful city of Nice has more than fifteen museums and rich collections that will have everything to please you.

MAEGHT FOUNDATION, ST PAUL DE VENCE

The Fondation Marguerite et Aimé Maeght is France’s most important private art foundation and among the world-leading cultural institutions. It hosts a magnitude of paintings and sculptures for some of the most famous artists in history, including Bonnard, Chagall, Adami, Miró, Giacometti, Calder and Braque. This architectural ensemble was entirely designed and funded by Aimé and Marguerite Maeght to present modern and contemporary art. If you ever visit Côte d’Azur it is a must-see because it is one of the most interesting and important museums in the area.

http://www.fondation-maeght.com/

Opening times:
The Fondation Maeght is open every day:
September-June: 10 am-6 pm
July-August: 10 am-7 pm
Closed at 4 pm on December 24th and 31st
Last admission 30 minutes before the closing time. Exceptional closing possible.

Prices:
Full price: 16 €
Reduced price: 11€ (groups of 10 people, children aged 10-18 and students with ID, press)
Free: children under 10, disabled people and members of the Société des Amis.

Address : 623 Chemin des Gardettes, Saint-Paul-de-Vence

NATIONAL MUSEUM MARC CHAGALL NICE

National museum Marc Chagall is one of the most popular museums in Nice, it stands out as a stunning monument to one of France’s greatest artists. The museum has an exhibition of the artist’s works that are related to religious themes.  Inside you will find a wide range of stunning canvases (some portraying the Old Testament), tapestries and lithographs. There are 17 large paintings on Old Testament motifs painted by Marc Chagall. He  provided detailed instructions about the creation of the garden by Henri Fish, and decided the place of each of his works in the museum. It is definitely something you want to see if you want to discover the artistic side of nice.

Opening times:
Open from May to October: 10h-18h November to April: 10h-17h

Price:
Entry is 8€, with discounts for students available.

Address: Avenue du Docteur Ménard

http://www.musee-chagall.fr/

MATISSE MUSEUM NICE

Having been renovated a few years ago, this museum contains many works by Matisse which were donated following his death in 1954.

Opening times:
Open every day except Tuesday from 10h to 18h

Price:
Entry starts from 5€.

Address: 164, avenue des Arenes de Cimiez

Access: Bus No. 5, 33, 18 and 16: stop Arenas / Matisse Museum

http://www.musee-matisse-nice.org

RENOIR MUSEUM

The Renoir museum is placed in the heart of a beautiful estate planted with olive and citrus trees offering a breathtaking view down the Cape of Antibes. It  was Auguste Renoir’s family home, he lived the last 12 years of his life on this beautiful estate, and filled it with his collections. Those are 16 original paintings, its 30 sculptures, his furniture and his workshop  After a complete renovation in 2013, the Renoir Museum now offers visitors to find the site as it was known to Renoir. New spaces have opened with, in particular, a set of seventeen plaster sculptures,two new original paintings and intimate archives.

Opening times: 
Summer (June-September) 10am-1pm and 2pm-6pm.
Winter (October-March 10am-noon and 2pm-5pm.  
Spring (April-May) 10am-noon and 2pm-6pm.
Closed Tuesdays; plus Jan. 1, May 1, and Christmas.

Price:
6€ for adults but free for those under 26.  Free admission with the French Riviera Pass.

http://www.cagnes-tourisme.com/fr/decouvrir/musee-renoir/presentation.html

PICASSO MUSEUM ANTIBES

Dedicated to one of the worlds most celebrated artists, this museum sits in a breathtaking location in Antibes’ Old Town. A collection of Picasso’s work created in 1946 in the Château Grimaldi that the city of Antibes put at his disposal. Containing fascinating work from an unusually happy phase for Picasso, the war had ended, he had left Paris for the Mediterranean, and was newly in love… It was here he created his work “la joie de vivre” (the joy of life).

Opening times:
Open every day except Monday 10h – 12h then 14h–18h

Address: Place Mariejol, Antibes

Access: Train from ‘Nice-Ville’ train station 15mins approx

The Picasso Museum

VILLA EPHRUSSI DE ROTHSCHILD

Just 15 minutes up the coast from Nice, is the ‘millionaire’s presque isle’ Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. Once arrived there you can find an amazing Italian palace that was designed in 1905 by Baroness Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild to house her collections, more than 5,000 works of art (mosaics, Gobelins tapestries, masterpieces, porcelain and furniture). The full two floors of the opulent pink villa are open for your exploration, including Madam’s private suite and boudoir.

Once you’re there you will have a chance to visit the gardens that surround Villa, the area is covered with 9 lovingly cultivated thematic gardens including French, Florentine, Japanese, Spanish, and Exotic styles. Inside of the gardens there are as well multiple fountains that include a light show carefully choreographed with classical music.

Opening times: 
Spring and Autumn hours: 10am to 6pm
Summer hours: (July and August) from 10am to 7pm
Winter hours (November to February): winter weekends and holidays 10am to 6pm, but weekdays (Mon-Fri) open afternoons only, 2pm to 6pm.  In winter the tea room is only open weekends.

Price :
Full rate: €15
Senior rate: €14 € (+65 years old)
Reduced rate: €12 (students, Education Pass holders and unemployed)
Youth rate: €10 (7-25 years old)
Family rate: €44 (for 2 adults and 2 children aged 7-25 years old)
Free for ICOM/ICOMOS/SNELAC card-holders, journalists, disabled visitors and accompanying person (excluding evening & special events).  

Website : https://www.villa-ephrussi.com/

MUSEUM OF MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART (MAMAC) 

Located just off Garibaldi square, this colossal building is home to a wide variety of modern art examples (Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein to name just a few) dating back to 1950. Not only is there art, but also magnificent views of the city itself.

Opening times:
Open every day except Monday from 10h to 18h

Address: Promenade des Arts – Place Yves Klein

Access: Tram stop Garibaldi

www.mamac-nice.org

THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

The Museum of Fine Arts presents an important collection of works which covers the entire history of art from the 16th to the 20th century and which has been enriched over time by important donations.

The collections highlight a real evolution in painting as in sculpture. The themes and subjects covered, the dynamism of color, the use of light are clearly a transition from classical painting to a modernity sought by artists.

In this museum you will be able to see some of the most famous impressionist works, such as: Boudin, Monet, and Guillaumin as well as the vast collection of Raoul Dufy.

The museum is very accessible and is located just 15 minutes by bus from the city center.

Opening Times:
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. (10 a.m. from the end of June to mid-October) at 6 p.m.
Closed Monday, January 1, Easter Sunday, May 1 and December 25.

Price:
Individual ticket at a rate of 10 € (This ticket gives access for 24 hours to all the museums and municipal galleries: Mamac, Galerie des Ponchettes, Espace Ferrero, Galerie de la Marine, Theater of Photography and Image, Museum Matisse, Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Naïve Art, Masséna Museum, Lascaris Palace, Archeology Museum, Cimiez site and Terra Amata site, Natural History Museum, Priory of the old house)
Free for those under 18, students, job seekers, beneficiaries of the RSA or ASS or ASPA, severely disabled civilians and invalids of war, museum curators, journalists and teachers.

Address: 33 Avenue des Baumettes, 06000 Nice

http://www.musee-beaux-arts-nice.org/

ASIAN ARTS MUSEUM

If you’re a fan of Asian art you should definitely visit Asian Arts Museum located 20 minutes from the city center of Nice. Standing in the artificial lake in Parc Phoenix, in a building by the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, the Asian Arts Museum evokes the spirit of the main civilizations of Asia, India, Southeast Asia, China and Japan through both classical and contemporary works.

The collection comprises of art inspired by Bhuddism and works from China, Japan and India, plus a selection of the smaller south-eastern Asian countries.

Classical and contemporary art is on display, as well as additional temporary exhibitions.

On Sunday afternoons, you can take part in a traditional tea ceremony (Chanoyu) where every movement is carefully choreographed so that the simple act of drinking tea is transformed into an art form.

Opening times:
The Asian Art Museum is open every day except Tuesdays.
From 1 september to 30 june : 10am to 5pm
From1 july to 31 august : 10am to 6pm
Closed 1 January, 1 May and 25 December

Free Admission
Free visit, conference, Qi Gong and Tai Chi Chuan.

Individual booking required
Tea Ceremony, special events, shows: Adults: €10. Children under 18, students and seniors: €5;
Workshops on Saturdays: Adult alone or with one child: €10. Children under 18 (second one), students and seniors: €5

OCEANOGRAPHIC MUSEUM OF MONACO

The Oceanographic Museum of Monaco is situated on the edge of the Mediterranean (literally), this impressive building houses both an aquarium and the oceanographic museum. View a wide range of current species, and discover everything that you wanted to know about the ancient species that are on display.

Opening times:
Open every day 10h-19h

Price:
16€ for adults and 10€ for children.

Address: Monaco

http://www.oceano.mc/

ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM NICE

Located a short distance from the Matisse Museum, the Musée Archeologique and its Roman Ruins have free entry. It truly is a fascinating insight into Roman history. Whilst you are there, don’t forget to go for a walk around Franciscan Park, plus a visit to the monastery too.

Opening times:
Open every day except Tuesdays from 10h to 18h

Address: 160, avenue des Arenes de Cimiez

http://nice.fr/Culture/Musees-et-expositions/Musee-d-archeologie-de-Nice