Museum / Gallery Sights in Nice

The former prison building and clock pavilion in the port of Nice have recently been renovated to include several exhibition spaces and galleries for the public to enjoy.

This astronomical observatory is located on top of mont Gros. It was built in 1881 and was designed by Charles Garnier, architect of the Paris Opera House, and Gustave Eiffel, the celebrated creator of the Eiffel Tower.

A small collection of some of Matisse's works and items from his own personal collection and that of his descendants are housed in an impressive 17th century Genoese mansion.

This priory owned by Father Lemerre was converted into a museum at the end of the Second World War and houses his collection of objets d'art from the late Middle Ages and early modern period including French furniture, glass, sculptures and religious paintings.

Just outside Saint-Paul de Vence lies one of France's most famous modern and contemporary art museums. Surrounded by pleasant gardens, this is a nice place to spend your afternoon.

Founded by Jean Baptiste Barla in 1850 (locals know it as Museum Barla), this museum showcases a rich collection of zoological, botanical and geological specimens.

This historic perfume factory is in the heart of the Old Town and is one of the oldest in Grasse, constructed in 1782.

Situated within the Royal Fort on Ile Sainte-Marguerite in the Bay of Cannes, this museum is a place not only of learning but also of rich history.

This museum moved to its current location in 1989 though it has been open since 1960. It houses a variety of objects, from ancient times to the Middle Ages, including the Roman town of Cemenelum.

The sculptor, Antoniucci Volti, was born in Italy in 1915 but his family lived in Villefranche-sur-Mer. His collection is housed in the town's 16th-century citadel.

The museum is located in the Chateau Sainte Hélène, the former private residence of perfume master François Coty, surrounded by a garden with rare aromatic plants. It showcases a collection of 'Naïve Art' paintings.

The museum of modern and contemporary art was opened in 1990 and features artworks from the 1960s to the present day.

The Asian Arts Museum was created by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange who created a wonderful white marble and glass construction that stands in the middle of a lake in Park Phoenix.

Chateau Grimaldi may take you somewhat by surprise if you are expecting the usual historical museum experience - it also holds regular exhibitions of contemporary art and isn’t afraid of displaying bizarre and sometimes challenging installations. The artworks are incongruous in such a traditional context and the collection changes regularly, so you never know quite what you’re going to get when you visit!

This grand noble residence dates to the early 17th century and was the property of the Lascaris-Vintimille family. It has an interesting collection of Baroque art and furniture.

Located in the Allianz Riviera Stadium in Nice, this museum houses more than 45,000 objects ad 400,000 dedicated to all sports, showing their history from the Antiquity to the present.

A few months before his death in 1955, artist Fernand Léger acquired a farmhouse at the foot of the village of Biot. It was here that his widow Nadia Leger, decided to create a museum to honour him and showcase his life's work.

The world-famous painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir lived at La Ferme des Collettes with his family from 1907 until his death in 1919. Renoir moved to Cagnes-Sur-Mer in the hopes that the warm climate would improve his arthritis, which eventually confined him to a wheelchair. The house in which he spent the last 12 years of his life is set in a beautiful estate full of citrus and olive trees, looking out along the coastline all the way to way to the Cap d’Antibes.