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BOOK ACTIVITY

European & Mediterranean Civilizations Museum

1 Esplanade J4, Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Description

The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations ("MuCEM") in Marseille manages a composite collection containing over 250,000 objects, 350,000 photographs and 200,000 posters, prints and postcards. It aims to chart the cultural and historical interactions within the Mediterranean bassin and European continent across a time period ranging from the Neolithic to our contemporary era. The building was constructed on reclaimed land and designed by architects Rudy Ricciotti and Roland Carta in a cube shape surrounded by a latticework shell of fibre-reinforced concrete.

Access & Transport

The museum has three entrances: 1) Fort Saint Jean at 201 Quai du Port which is a 10min walk from the Vieux-Port Metro station (M1). Bus 83 also stops next to Fort Saint Jean 2) Panier next to Saint-Laurent Church, Esplanade de la Tourette 3) J4 at Saint-Laurent Church, Esplanade de la Tourette which is a 10min walk from the Joliette Metro station (M2) All three MuCEM entrances are wheelchair accessible. However, at the Panier entrance, after the Saint Laurent footbridge, access to the fort will require personal assistance over some 10 metres For those driving, the Indigo Vieux-Port Fort Saint-Jean car park has direct access and can be reached from the A55 motorway via Tunnel de la Joliette or Boulevard du Littoral. More info here: https://www.mucem.org/en/getting-here

Instructions & Recommendations

We suggest combining this activity with a visit of the Cathédrale La Major and an exploration of the Panier neighbourhood.

Meta review

Since it opened in 2013 the museum has been heavily promoted and is featured in every guidebook and travel magazine covering Marseille. The comments in online reviews are quite dissonant though with most visitors really enjoying the building's architecture and the views from it but being perplexed / underwhelmed by the shallowness of the collections, except for a few temporary exhibitions.

Environmental & Social

No environmental data available - small footprint on a per visitor basis in any case. Socially marginally positive as it helps revitalize the city and preserve some of the regional cultural heritage with its collection

Conclusion

The MuCEM is a visit-worthy building but is let down by its lack of genuinely interesting content so we would recommend it to anybody enjoying modern architecture but not to those looking for cultural activities given the entrance price, with the caveat that the family price is really attractive and obviates the debatable value issue.

Key positive

Fantastic architecture and views over the Vieux Port

Key negative

Disappointing content not worth the entrance price

Suitability

Accessible for visitors with reduced mobility.

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

June 2024

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit
Closed on 01 May and 25 Dec. Last tickets sold 45mins before closing.

av. transport time:0h 30m

est. visit time:2h 30m

Regulated hours

Start of Season 1:May, 03

Season 1

MONDAY10:00 - 19:00

TUESDAY -

WEDNESDAY10:00 - 19:00

THURSDAY10:00 - 19:00

FRIDAY10:00 - 19:00

SATURDAY10:00 - 19:00

SUNDAY10:00 - 19:00

Start of Season 2:Nov, 06

Season 2

MONDAY10:00 - 18:00

TUESDAY -

WEDNESDAY10:00 - 18:00

THURSDAY10:00 - 18:00

FRIDAY10:00 - 18:00

SATURDAY10:00 - 18:00

SUNDAY10:00 - 18:00

Pricing
Free entrance every first Sunday of the month
Age band
Age band
Regular price / pers.
Senior
65 - 99
€11
Adult
25 - 64
€11
Teen & Young
18 - 24
€7.5
Child
3 - 17
€0
Infant
0 - 2
€0
Free entrance to the permanent exhibition for young adults aged 18-25
Family price
Adults without minor children cannot enter the exhibition rooms with this pass. Max 5 children

Max total number:7

Max number of adults:2

Min.child age:1

Max.child age:18

Price for family€18

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