9 Best Museums and Galleries in Nice

Museums and galleries in Nice showcase everything from art to archeological artifacts. You could explore artwork from masters like Matisse and Picasso, see displays of paleolithic tools, and wander the corridors of an opulent villa on your trip.

Whether you’re looking for arts and culture or history and oddities, you could find it all in Nice. Check out our picks for the best museums and galleries in Nice to plan your itinerary and see the best the city has to offer you.

Nice Hotels

1. Musée Archéologique de Nice-Cimiez

Ancient Roman artifacts and architecture

Good for: Families, History, Photo

<p>The Musée Archéologique de Nice-Cimiez is a fascinating archaeology museum that displays artifacts related to the life of Cemenelum and the Alpes-Maritimes. Located east of the city center, the museum features artifacts dating back to the Neolithic, antiquity, and Middle Ages.</p><p>When you visit, you can see an amphitheater and baths that date back to the third century, ancient infrastructure, and a fifth-century paleo-Christian complex. The museum also displays ceramics, coins, jewelry, sculptures, and tools from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages.</p>

Location: 160 Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez, 06000 Nice, France

Open: Wednesday–Monday from 10 am to 6 pm (closed on Tuesdays) from May-October, and 10 am to 5 pm November-April.

Phone: +33 (0)4 93 81 59 57

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2. Marc Chagall National Museum

The religious works of a famous artist

Good for: Families, History

<p>The Marc Chagall National Museum is a national museum dedicated to the artist’s renowned religious paintings, sketches, sculptures, and stained glass. Located on Avenue Docteur Menard in Nice, the museum is home to a series of Chagall’s religious paintings that illustrated the books of Genesis, Exodus, and the Song of Songs.</p><p>One of the unique features of the Marc Chagall National Museum is that Chagall himself provided input into its design and curation. He also helped design the garden and created a mosaic and stained glass for the museum. Other contributions from Chagall include early sketches, stained glass works, sculptures, and gouache paintings.</p> Read more

Location: Avenue Dr Ménard, 06000 Nice, France

Open: Wednesday-Monday from 10 am to 1 pm and 2.30 pm to 6 pm from May-October, and 10 am to 1 pm and 2.30 pm to 5 pm from November-April. Closed on Tuesdays.

Phone: +33 (0)4 93 53 87 20

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3. Terra Amata Museum of Human Paleontology

The origins of humanity explained

Good for: Families, History, Unusual

<p>The Terra Amata Museum of Human Paleontology is a museum on the archaeological site of the 400,000-year-old Terra Amata. Located on Mont Boron in Nice, the archaeological site revealed tools and shelters from the lower Paleolithic period. The museum is found nearby on the east side of the Port of Nice.</p><p>Tools, animal bones, hearths, and other archaeological artifacts are on display at the museum. Another significant find at Terra Amata was the early domestication of fire, an important development in human advancement.</p>

Location: 25 Boulevard Carnot, 06000 Nice, France

Open: Wednesday-Monday from 10 am to 1 pm and 2.30 pm to 6 pm from May-October, and 10 am to 1 pm and 2.30 pm to 5 pm from November-April. Closed Tuesdays.

Phone: +33 (0)4 93 55 59 93

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4. Musée National du Sport

The history of sports from the 16th century

Good for: Budget, Families, History

<p>Musée National du Sport is a national sports museum that showcases sports artifacts and memorabilia dating back to the 16th century. Located in the Grand Stadium of Nice, about 10 minutes from the city center, the museum was established in 1922 by the French minister of war.</p><p>The museum displays over 100,000 items that document sporting events from the 16th century to the present day. One of the highlights is a collection celebrating the history of the modern Olympic Games. When you visit, you’ll see sporting equipment, sculptures, paintings, drawings, advertising, magazines, books, and stamps related to sports.</p>

Location: Stade Allianz Riviera, Boulevard des Jardiniers, 06200 Nice, France

Open: Wednesday-Monday from 10 am to 1 pm and 2.30 pm to 6 pm from May-October, and 10 am to 1 pm and 2.30 pm to 5 pm from November-April. Closed on Tuesdays.

Phone: +33 (0)4 89 22 44 00

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5. Museum of Photography Charles Nègre

The fascinating history of photography

Good for: Couples, History, Photo

<p>The Museum of Photography Charles Nègre showcases the works of prominent photographers and installations highlighting trends in the industry. Located in the heart of Old Nice at Place Pierre Gautier, the museum favors photographs that tell the history of the city and the region.</p><p> All types of photography are on display at the museum and its adjoining gallery, from vintage images to newer digital formats. In total, the museum and gallery have a collection of over 1,700 images and 220 objects.</p>

Location: 1 Place Pierre Gautier, 06300 Nice, France

Phone: +33 (0)4 97 13 42 20

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6. Masséna Palace Museum of Art and History

An opulent, historic villa that is also a museum

Good for: Families, History, Luxury

<p>Masséna Palace Museum of Art and History is a spectacular museum on a villa on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. The house-museum features formal manicured gardens that you can explore and vast natural grounds.</p><p>Inside, you can see artifacts, artwork, and period furnishings from the Masséna family, the former homeowners. On the second floor, you’ll find exhibits on Nice history from the 19th century, including militaria that predates World War II. One of the highlights is memorabilia from Napoleon and Josephine, including his death mask.</p>

Location: 65 Rue de France, 06000 Nice, France

Open: Wednesday-Monday from 10 am to 6 pm from May-October, and 11 am to 6 pm from November-April. Closed on Tuesdays.

Phone: +33 (0)4 93 91 19 10

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7. Musée Matisse

The beautiful works of Henri Matisse

Good for: Couples, History, Photo

<p>The Musée Matisse is a museum with an extensive collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures, and photographs by Henri Matisse, a prominent French Fauvist artist. The museum is found within Villa des Arenes, a 17th-century villa in Cimiez in Nice.</p><p>Matisse and his heirs donated many works to the museum, so it’s now home to 68 oil and gouache paintings, over 200 drawings, over 200 prints, 57 sculptures, and nearly 100 photographs. You’ll also see nearly 200 personal objects that belonged to the artist, including ceramics, stained glass, and documents. Some of his more famous works showcased at the museum include <em>Woman Reading</em>, <em>Le Bonheur de Vivre</em>, <em>Blue Nudes</em> and <em>The Dessert: Harmony in Red</em>.</p>

Location: 164 Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez, 06000 Nice, France

Phone: +33 (0)4 93 81 08 08

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8. Museum of Asian Arts

Asian artwork and performing arts on display

Good for: Families, History, Unusual

<p>The Museum of Asian Arts is a modern museum that showcases the spectrum of Asian arts from antiquities to contemporary work. Located in Phoenix Park on Promenade des Anglais in Nice, the museum features all manner of Asian artwork, including performing, visual, and applied arts.</p><p>While the museum’s fine-art collection is a highlight, many visitors enjoy experiencing the ‘Tea Ceremony’ at the Tea Pavilion. The Gestes d’Aste, or Asian Gestures, is a popular performing arts experience that features Asian artists. The museum also has a gallery with sundry items for purchase.</p>

Location: 405 Prom. des Anglais, 06200 Nice, France

Open: Wednesday-Monday, 10 am to 5 pm from September to June. Wednesday-Monday, 10 am to 6 pm, July-August (closed on Tuesdays)

Phone: +33 (0)4 89 04 55 20

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9. Galerie Eva Vautier

Emerging artists showcase one-of-a-kind pieces

Good for: Couples, Luxury, Shoppers

<p>The Galerie Eva Vautier is a lovely art gallery that promotes artist Eva Vautier’s works and the works of emerging artists. Those showcased at the gallery also have an opportunity to present fellow artists. The gallery is located on Rue Vernier in Nice.</p><p>In addition to the gallery, Galerie Eva Vautier has its own publishing house to produce limited-edition works from the represented artists. After looking through the gallery or attending an event, you can browse the publishing house bookshop or purchase some art as a souvenir. The gallery always has interesting events and exhibitions.</p>

Location: 2 Rue Vernier, 06000 Nice, France

Open: Tuesday-Saturday from 2 pm to 7 pm. (closed Sunday-Monday) Annual closure in August.

Phone: +33 (0)9 80 31 76 63

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