Nantes Museum of Arts, Art museum in Nantes, France
The Nantes Museum of Arts combines over 900 works across three distinct buildings: a 17th-century chapel, a 19th-century palace, and a modern cube-shaped structure. The collections spread across these spaces, housing paintings, sculptures, and other artistic media.
The museum was founded in 1801 and soon received numerous works from the royal collection, making it the largest art repository outside Paris by 1818. This development shaped the city's role in the European art world.
The museum displays European artworks from different periods, inviting visitors to encounter pieces by artists such as Rubens, Monet, and Picasso under one roof. The collection reflects the city's long-standing appreciation for artistic expression across centuries.
A visit requires no special preparation, but it is practical to allow enough time since the collection is extensive and several buildings need exploration. The central location makes the museum easily accessible and the passage between the different structures is well-organized.
The museum deliberately blends historical architecture with modern design, creating a dialogue between old and new spaces where visitors experience different layers of art presentation. This mix of periods makes the place an example of how tradition and innovation can coexist.
Location: Nantes
Inception: September 1, 1801
Founders: Napoleon
Official opening: 1801
Address: Rue Georges-Clemenceau 10
Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday 11:00-19:00; Tuesday off; Thursday 11:00-21:00; January 01,May 01,November 01,December 25 off
Phone: +33251174500
Website: https://museedartsdenantes.nantesmetropole.fr
GPS coordinates: 47.21944,-1.54722
Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:03
Nantes combines mechanical monuments, botanical gardens, a medieval castle and museums. The historical quarters, old squares and notable architecture reflect its maritime and commercial past. The city features parks, walks along the Loire and cultural institutions like the Art Museum and Natural History Museum. The Machines de l'île presents mechanical animals, including a 12-meter-tall elephant.
Tomb of Francis II, Duke of Brittany
257 m
Colonne Louis-XVI
210 m
Cours Saint-Pierre et Saint-André
164 m
Saint-Clément, Nantes
219 m
Porte Saint-Pierre
241 m
Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-l'Immaculée-Conception
151 m
Lamoricière cenotaph
250 m
La Psallette de la Cathédrale de Nantes
267 m
Chapelle de l'Oratoire
91 m
Hôtel Montaudouin
264 m
Hôtel d'Aux
256 m
Monument aux morts de la guerre de 1870
234 m
Convent of the Visitation
91 m
Immeuble, 1 place Maréchal-Foch
163 m
Hôtel Lelasseur
103 m
Immeuble, 15 rue Henri IV
147 m
Immeuble, 11 rue Henri IV
155 m
Immeuble 2 rue de Sully
208 m
Hôtel Cazenove de Pradines
98 m
Hôtel de la Pilorgerie
94 m
Immeuble 4 rue de Sully
246 m
Hôtel Ceineray
187 m
Hôtel de Sesmaisons-Lucinge
139 m
Hôtel Cottin de Melleville
276 m
Immeuble 3 rue de Sully (Nantes)
229 m
Monument aux anciens élèves du lycée Clemenceau
154 m
Anne of Brittany
222 m
Choir organ of the Nantes Cathedral
239 mReal people, real opinions — but not verified.
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The museum is splendid, a journey through time where each work has its story. The museum needs to be renovated quite often; the wall colors are modern and make the paintings stand out. A museum worthy of the greatest, I was surprised to discover this splendid place in Nantes.
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