Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations, Mediterranean civilization museum in Old Port area, Marseille, France
The Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations is a museum in the harbor district of Marseille with terraces, exhibition halls, and a distinctive lattice façade of dark concrete. The main building rises directly at the waterfront and connects via two bridges to the historic Fort Saint-Jean, which houses gardens and additional spaces.
The institution was created for 2013, when Marseille became European Capital of Culture, and replaced an older collection that had been kept in Paris until then. The architect Rudy Ricciotti designed the new building on a former harbor site that had remained undeveloped until that point.
The location at the old harbor basin makes the building a meeting point between city and sea, where visitors cross elevated walkways between two separate areas. The interior displays collections on agriculture, crafts, and religion around the Mediterranean, with objects from different periods placed side by side.
The entrance is located at the Esplanade du J4, from where visitors can reach the galleries and then the bridges to the fort. The stairs and ramps are well signposted, although some outdoor areas may be closed depending on weather conditions.
The lattice shell was cast from fiber concrete, a material that allows paper-thin panels while resisting salt air and sun exposure. This technique makes it possible to combine openings and solid surfaces in a single cast piece, so that light falls on floors and walls inside in changing patterns.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
