Musée d'art moderne et d'art contemporain de Nice, Contemporary art museum in Nice, France
The Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain de Nice is a museum whose square-plan building, designed by Yves Bayard and Henri Vidal, forms a tetrapod arch straddling the Paillon. Its smooth facades are clad in white Carrara marble, and a terrace called the Promenade des Arts links it to a theatre. Inside, temporary exhibitions occupy the first floor, while the permanent collections fill the second and third.
The museum opened on 21 June 1990, designed by architects Yves Bayard and Henri Vidal as a tetrapod arch straddling the Paillon. It closed in January 2024 for major renovation, with technical difficulties tied to the building's foundations over the waterway; reopening was announced in 2025 for 2029.
The museum's name reflects its two collections: modern art from the late 1950s and contemporary work up to today. A room has been devoted to Yves Klein since opening, holding about twenty of his works. In October 2001 Niki de Saint Phalle left the city 170 works for the museum, among them the monumental sculpture Le Monstre du Lochness.
The museum closed in January 2024 for major renovation, with reopening announced for 2029; works were delayed by technical problems with the foundations, built over the Paillon. Entry and shop are on the esplanade Niki de Saint Phalle above Place Yves Klein, where the auditorium and contemporary gallery also stand. Temporary exhibitions occupy the first floor, the permanent collections the second and third.
The museum closed in January 2024 for major renovation; work ran into technical difficulties with the foundations, built over the Paillon, and reopening was announced in 2025 for 2029. In 2010 it drew 162,951 visitors, making it Nice's second most visited single site.
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