Museum / Gallery Sights in Nice

Learn about the French defences from the Germans and the strategic position of this fort in the battle for Nice in World War two.

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!

With items from prehistoric times, and fine arts and decorative arts from as early as the 17th century, all the way up to the first half of the 20th century.

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 palaeontology is located on the excavation site of the Terra Amata where there is evidence of human inhabitation going back 400,000 years.

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.

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

Housing the largest collection of the Russian painter, Marc Chagall, the Chagall museum is one of Nice's top attractions.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

Founded as a photographic studio in 1958, and opened as a gallery in 1972, Jean Ferrero exhibited works from the School of Nice and the New Realism genre.

Free guided tours of a historic perfume factory in the medieval village of Eze.

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.

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.

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.