If you dedicate some of your precious time to visiting Nice museums, you will never regret, since the great collections of ancient and modern art are stored here.
Chagall - Mark Chagall Museum
A very complete collection of Chagall paintings, gouaches, engravings, sketches, lithographs and stained-glass windows.
Location: Ave du Docteur Menard (just outside the Voie Rapide, where the Bvd de Cimiez starts up the hill; across from the Conservatoire de Musique).
Tel: (33) 493 53 87 20; Fax: (33) 493 53 87 39
Open: Oct - June, 10h-17h; July-Sept, 10h-18h; Closed: Tuesday
Cimiez Museum of Archeology
At the site of Roman Cemenelum at Cimiez, this museum presents the tools, sculptures, pottery, engravings, jewelry and coins found here, and includes the outside excavations of the ancient baths and other buildings.
Location: 160 avenue des Arenes; in the lovely red building with trompe-l'oeil facades inside the park area.
Tel: (33) 493 81 59 57; Fax: (33) 493 81 08 00
Open: April-Sept, 10h-12h, 14h-16h; Closed: Sun morning, Monday, 18-30 Nov, some holidays.
Cimiez Monastery and Franciscan Museum
In a 17th-century convent, still an active monastery. The museum shows the Franciscan way of life from the 18th century. The 15th-17th century church contains documents and artwork, including three paintings by Louis Brea. The park and flower gardens are beautiful and peaceful, and have a nice view of the Paillon valley.
Location: Place du Monastere (Cimiez, past the east end of the park)
Tel: (33) 493 81 00 04
Open: 10h-12h, 15h-18h; Closed: Sunday, some holidays
Entry: Free
Dufy Museum and Gallery
An excellent collection of paintings, engravings, water colors, ceramics and tapestries by Raoul Dufy.
Location: 77 Quai des Etats-Unis
Tel: (33) 493 62 31 24
Open: 10h-12h, 14h-18h; Closed: Sunday morning, Monday, some holidays
Fine Arts Museum
(Musée J. Cheret) Italian 17th-century and French 18th-century paintings, and 19th-century paintings and sculptures.
Location: 33 ave. des Baumettes (west of Bvd Gambetta and Bvd Franço;is Grosso, between the Promenade des Anglais and the Voie Rapide)
Tel: (33) 493 44 50 72; Fax: (33) 493 97 67 07
Open: 10h-12h, 14h-18h; Closed Monday, some holidays
Lascaris Palace Museum
This "museum" is in the 17th-century Genovan-style palace residence of the Lascaris-Ventimille family. The palace itself, with its monumental staircase, is worth the visit, and the old furnishings and collections are an extra.
Location: 15 rue Droite (in the middle of the old town, off Rue Rossetti).
Tel: (33) 493 62 05 54; Fax: (33) 493 92 04 19
Open: 10h-12h, 14h-18h; Closed: Monday, 18 Nov - 2 Dec, some holidays
Massena Art and History Museum
The Musee Massena has an excellent collection of paintings, furniture, decorations, weapons, uniforms and other artifacts that give a good feeling for the history of the Nice-Piemont region.
Location: 35 Promenade des Anglais; 65 rue de France (between rue de Rivoli and rue Meyerbeer)
Tel: (33) 493 88 11 34; Fax: (33) 493 82 39 79
Open: 10h-12h, 14h-18h; Closed Mondays, 19 Nov - 1 Dec, some holidays.
Matisse Museum
Includes Matisse's personal collection. Matisse lived in Nice from 1917 until his death in 1954.
Location: 164 ave des Arenes de Cimiez, in the Cimiez park, just to the right of the red Archeology museum building, "below ground".
Tel: (33) 493 81 08 08; Fax: (33) 493 53 00 22
Open: 1 Apr - 30 Sept, 11h-19h; 1 Oct - 31 Mar, 10h-17h; Closed: Tuesday, some holidays
Modern and Contemporary Art Museum
American and European avant-garde art from the 1960s to the present.
Location: Promenade des Arts (in the "promenade" between the bus station and the modern Acropolis center)
Tel: (33) 493 62 61 62; Fax: (33) 493 13 09 01
Open: 11h-18h, Friday 11h-22h; Closed: Tuesday, some holidays
Mossa - Museum-Gallery Alexis and Gustav Adolf Mossa
Father Alexis Mossa and Son Gustav Adolph were both painters. Alexis was the creator of Nice's carnival procession.
Location: 59 Quai des Etats-Unis
Tel: (33) 493 62 37 11
Open: 10h-12h, 14h-18h; Closed: Sunday morning, Monday, some holidays
Naive Art Museum Anatole Jakovsky
A wonderful collection of naive art in an old manor house on park-like grounds. The collection, donated to the city in 1982 by Mr. and Mrs. Anatole Jakovsky, shows the progression of naive art from the 18th century.
Location: Chàteau Sainte-Helene, avenue Val-Marie (about half way out the Promenade des Anglais towards the airport, and on the north side of the Voie Rapide)
Tel: (33) 493 71 78 33; Fax: (33) 493 72 34 10
Open: 10h-12h, 14h-18h; Closed: Tuesday, some holidays
Natural History Museum
Presents the natural history of our earth from the beginning. Four separate rooms are dedicated to birds, fungi, geology and mineralogy. Includes a natural-science library (free entry, by request).
Location: 60 bis, bvd Risso; Entry via the archaeological site, ave Monte Croce (between Place Garibaldi and Rue Barla)
Tel: (33) 493 55 15 24; Fax: (33) 493 55 81 96
Open: 10h-12h, 14h-18; Closed: Tuesday, 15 Aug - 13 Sept, some holidays.
Naval Museum
A spacious museum with wood parquet floors and beautiful ship models, period-piece nautical instruments, arms, engravings and paintings. There's a great view of the sea and the beaches of Nice, from the roof-top terrace or the portholes of the museum. A powerful telescope provides an amusing view of the beach.
Location: Tour Bellanda, up 214 steps (or by elevator) at the Port end of the seaside (Colline du Chateau)
Tel: (33) 493 80 47 61
Open: June-Sept, 10h-12h, 14h-19h; Oct-May, 10h-12h, 14h-17h; Closed: Mon, Tue, some holidays
Prehistoric Museum of Terra Amata
Musee de Terra Amata - Prehistoire
This fine little museum is unfortunately closed for an "indeterminanate duration" (Oct 1996). When it's open, this museum displays an "in situ" exhibition of prehistoric man. The elephant hunter's camp displayed here, actually discovered in the center of Nice, is so life-like it makes you feel like you are there with them.
Location: 25 Bvd Carnot; just off the Bvd. Carnot, a couple of blocks past the port in the direction of Villefranche-Menton.
Tel: (33) 493 62 05 54; Fax: (33) 493 92 04 19
Open: No firm plans to reopen.
Prieuré du Vieux Logis
An old manor house built in the exact style of a rural Dominician priory. The contents on display include 14th-16th century furniture and regional items.
Location: 59 ave Saint Barthelemy (the north part of Nice, a couple of blocks west of Bvd Gorbella; near the Villa Arson)
Tel: (33) 493 84 44 74
Open: 15h-17h, Wed, Thu, Sat, 1st Sun of the month
Entry: Free
Russian Church - L'Eglise Russe
This Russian Orthodox Cathedral (1903-1912) is one of the most beautiful ever built outside of Russia, similar to St. Basel's in Moscow. The interior is ornate and exotic, and includes items commemorating the Grand Duke Nicolas Alexandrovitch who died in Nice in 1865.
Location: Bvd Tzarewitch
Tel: (33) 493 96 88 02
Open: June-Sept 9h-12h, 14h30-18h; Oct 9h15-12h, 14h30-17h30; Nov-15 Feb 9h30-12h, 14h30-17h; 16 Feb-May 9h15-12h, 14h30-17h30
Villa Arson
This lovely red 18th century villa is an international art school (with artists in residence) and center for contemporary art.
Location: 20 ave Stephen Liegard (the north part of Nice, a couple of blocks west of Bvd Gorbella; near the Prieure du Vieux Logis)
Tel: (33) 492 07 73 73; Fax: (33) 493 84 41 55
Open: July-Sept 13h-19h daily; Oct-June 13h-18h except Monday
