Fondation Regards de Provence

It also gives pride of place to contemporary art, devoting temporary exhibitions to major figures on the southern French art scene. A landmark in Marseille's history The Musée Regards de Provence is housed in the former maritime sanitary station built by F. Pouillon in 1948, which has been awarded the "Patrimoine du XXe s" label. The sanitary station is both a place steeped in history - that of a city at the heart of the fight against epidemics - and an architectural achievement of the highest quality, conceived as a functional response to the issue of sanitary control, at a time when the latter was taking a new turn. Heir to the lazarets of the 18th and 19th centuries, it was used for disinfecting passengers arriving by sea and air, screening suspicious cases and treating the sick. This site, abandoned for over forty years and almost destroyed in 2009, has now been transformed into the Musée Regards de Provence, thanks to the private investment of the Fondation Regards de Provence. At the center of the building, the restored kiln room, directly accessible from the museum entrance, is a medium-sized space featuring a spectacular, evocative facade of autoclaves and machinery. The permanent artistic documentary, which incorporates this kiln complex, is highlighted by a powerful three-dimensional scenography designed by artists Dominik Barbier and Anne Van den Steen. Painters of Provence and contemporary art The museum almost always presents two simultaneous temporary exhibitions, each lasting five to six months. These are an opportunity to showcase the private collection of the Fondation Regards de Provence: works by Ambrogiani, Chabaud, Dufy, Friesz, Garibaldi, Lhote, Manguin, Monticelli, Valtat, Verdilhan, Ziem and many others reflect the diverse talents of these artists deeply linked to Provence, whether they were originally from the region or fell under the spell of the light and colors of the South. At the same time, the museum organizes retrospectives devoted to major figures on the southern art scene, such as Vincent Bioulès, Jean-Pierre Blanche and Jean-Jacques Surian. The museum offers panoramic views of the port of La Joliette, Fort Saint Jean, Mucem and Villa Cosquer Méditerranée. It also houses the eponymous bookshop and the Regards Café restaurant. Free guided tours, except for groups (booking required): first Saturday of the month at 10:30 a.m. (6 to 25 people maximum). Guided tours for non-group bookings: Saturdays at 3pm (6 to 25 people maximum). Guided tours for groups by prior arrangement: Tuesday to Saturday (6 to 25 people maximum). Registration closes by 6pm the day before. Temporary exhibition area: 420 Marseille au cœur maritime" exhibition available as a virtual tour Following the success of the exhibition "Marseille au cœur maritime", presented at the Musée Regards de Provence in 2024, which attracted over 15,000 visitors, the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Musée Regards de Provence are extending the experience with a virtual version of the exhibition. d'Industrie métropolitaine Aix-Marseille-Provence and the Musée Regards de Provence are extending the experience with an immersive virtual version of the exhibition, now available online. The aim of this initiative is to make the exhibition accessible to as many people as possible. Through this immersive exhibition, the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Musée Regards de Provence wanted to highlight Marseille's unique relationship with the sea. This exhibition has enabled us to rediscover the roots of Marseille's maritime history, its port basins, the infrastructures that support their development, the people who work there and the ships that sail there. Artists such as Jean-Frédéric Canepa, Alfred Casile, Victor Coste, Raphaël Ponson, Joseph Suchet and many others highlighted the different faces of maritime Marseille. The 80-odd works presented a veritable digest of 26 centuries of maritime activity, drawn from the exceptional collections of the world's leading Chamber of Commerce, revealing its unfailing link with the sea.

Accessible for disabled