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Museum · Nice, Provença-Alpes-Costa Azul
Musée Matisse
A municipal museum in a 17th-century Genoese villa in Cimiez, housing one of the largest collections of Henri Matisse.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Musée Matisse
Henri Matisse lived in Nice from 1917 until his death in 1954, and the museum bearing his name sits atop Cimiez, a residential neighborhood north of the center. The building is the Villa des Arènes, a Genoese-style villa completed in 1685, painted red, with a modern underground wing.
The collection covers the painter’s entire career: early canvases, drawings, sculptures, prints, illustrated books and the paper cutouts from his late years. There are also studio objects that appear in the paintings. Temporary exhibitions link Matisse with other artists.
Around the museum are the Cimiez olive grove park, the ruins of the Roman town of Cemenelum with baths and a small amphitheater, and the Franciscan monastery of Cimiez, where Matisse is buried in the cemetery.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
One and a half to two hours; add another hour for the park and the monastery.
Best time
In the morning, paired with the Musée national Marc Chagall, which lies on the route between the center and Cimiez. The museum is closed certain days of the week and between exhibitions; check before you go.
How to get there
By bus from Nice center to the Arènes/Musée Matisse stop. On foot it’s about a 30–40 minute uphill walk from the Place Masséna.
Tip
The ticket often grants access to other municipal museums in Nice for several days; confirm the rules at the ticket office. A stroll among the olive trees and a visit to the monastery are worthwhile in good weather.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Musée Matisse
Where is the Musée Matisse?
In the Cimiez district, up on the hill north of Nice's center, within an olive park next to Roman ruins.
How to get up to Cimiez without a car?
By bus from the center; on foot, allow about 30 to 40 minutes uphill from Place Masséna.
Can it be visited together with the Chagall museum?
Yes. The Musée national Marc Chagall is along the way, closer to the center; many people do both on the same morning or day.