Marseille History Museum

Museum in Marseille

Musee dhistoire de la Ville de Marseille

CC BY-SA 4.0 / Cover 2020

The Marseille History Museum (Musée d'Histoire de Marseille) is where the city's long story really clicks into place. Tucked inside the Centre Bourse complex just a few steps from the Old Port, it combines atmospheric archaeological remains of the ancient harbour with modern, interactive galleries. If you're curious about how Greek Massalia became today's Marseille, this is one of the best places to visit in Marseille, especially early in your stay when you want the big picture.

Originally opened in 1983 and completely reimagined for Marseille's stint as European Capital of Culture in 2013, the museum now unfolds across 3,500 square metres of permanent exhibitions, plus temporary shows, an auditorium and a documentation centre. It connects directly to the Jardin des Vestiges outside, so you move seamlessly from museum displays to open-air ruins of the ancient port. The route they've designed, including a digital augmented reality walk that links the museum to MuCEM, is often visited on walking tours of Marseille that dive into the city's layered past.

History and Significance of the Marseille History Museum
Things to See and Do in the Marseille History Museum
How to Get to the Marseille History Museum
Practical Tips on Visiting the Marseille History Museum
Where to Stay close to the Marseille History Museum
Is the Marseille History Museum Worth Visiting?
FAQs for Visiting the Marseille History Museum
Nearby Attractions to the Marseille History Museum

History and Significance of the Marseille History Museum

The story of the Marseille History Museum starts with a building site. In 1967, foundations were being dug for the Centre Bourse shopping centre when workers began uncovering substantial archaeological remains: Greek fortifications, parts of the old port, Roman quays and medieval walls. What could have been quietly cleared away instead triggered one of the most important urban digs in France, leading to the preservation of around 10,000 square metres of vestiges and, eventually, the creation of a dedicated city history museum.

Founded in 1983 with the help of archaeologist and anthropologist Alain Nicolas, the museum first focused on conserving and explaining these finds. Much of this material was integrated into the adjacent Vestiges Garden, where you can still wander among the ancient harbour installations today. Over time, the collection grew to include objects from all the key eras of Marseille’s past, from Greek Massalia through Roman Massilia, medieval Marsiho and the bustling Mediterranean port of the modern age.

A major turning point came with the 2013 renovation, timed to coincide with Marseille-Provence's year as European Capital of Culture. Architect Roland Carta and scenographer Adeline Rispal reshaped the museum so that the building, the shopping centre and the archaeological site are all linked. The new museography tells Marseille's story in thirteen themed sections, weaving together trade, migration, religion, politics and everyday life. The museum also introduced a digital augmented reality route, designed by Alain Dupuy of InnoVision, leading visitors from the museum to MuCEM and turning the city itself into an extended exhibition space.

Things to See and Do in the Marseille History Museum

Inside the permanent galleries, your visit begins with a film that sets the scene by introducing the prehistoric landscape of the Marseille basin. From there, you move into the era of Gyptis and Protis (600-380 BC), when Greek settlers from Phocaea founded Massalia and began trading with local Celtic and Ligurian populations. Amphorae from Etruria, Clazomenes and southern Italy trace the spread of wine culture and show how quickly this new city plugged into Mediterranean networks.

One of the most engaging sections focuses on ceramics and tableware. Here you can compare imported Corinthian and Laconian pieces with locally produced wares, and see how shapes and decorations evolved over the centuries. It’s an unexpectedly vivid window into daily life: drinking cups from shipwrecks, locally found bowls and jugs, and fine pieces that would have graced elite tables. The careful displays make it easy to follow changes in fashion and trade routes, even if you’re not an archaeology buff.

Beyond the Greek and Roman periods, the museum continues through late antiquity, the medieval city, the age of great Mediterranean trade, industrialisation and the 20th century. Models, maps, multimedia, and artefacts like ship fittings, everyday tools and religious objects help you understand how the city expanded beyond the Old Port and how waves of trade and migration shaped its identity. Stepping out into the Jardin des Vestiges afterwards, where you can see stretches of ancient quay, defensive walls and the outline of the old harbour, brings the story firmly back into the streets and stones of modern Marseille.

How to Get to the Marseille History Museum

The Marseille History Museum is located inside the Centre Bourse complex, a short walk from the Vieux-Port and the Old Port metro station in the heart of Marseille. If you fly into Marseille Provence Airport, you can reach the city centre by shuttle bus, train or taxi, then continue on foot or by metro to the museum. For the best deals and a seamless booking experience, check out these flights to Marseille on Booking.com.

Travelling by rail is straightforward: Marseille Saint-Charles station is the main hub, served by TGV high-speed trains and regional services. You can use SNCF Connect to check schedules, compare routes, and purchase tickets for National (SNCF ) and regional trains (TER). For a more streamlined experience, we recommend using Omio, which allows you to easily compare prices, schedules, and book tickets for both National and Regional travel across all of Europe, all in one place. From there, it's just two metro stops to Vieux-Port/Hotel de Ville, followed by a brief walk up to Centre Bourse, or around 15-20 minutes on foot if you prefer to see the city as you go.

If you arrive by car, follow signs for the Vieux-Port and Centre Bourse, where you'll find underground parking directly beneath the shopping centre that houses the museum. If you are looking to rent a car in France I recommend having a look at Discover Cars, first, as they compare prices and review multiple car rental agencies for you. Once parked, take the lifts or escalators up to the museum entrance level and you're steps away from both the galleries and the Jardin des Vestiges.

Practical Tips on Visiting the Marseille History Museum

Suggested tips: Start your Marseille stay here so you have a solid sense of the city's long history before heading out to explore the Old Port, Panier and waterfront.
Best time to visit: Late morning or mid-afternoon on weekdays are usually calmer; weekends and rainy days can be busier with both locals and visitors.
Entrance fee: Free (Permanent collections)
Opening hours: Daily 09:00 - 18:00 Closed Mondays
Official website: https://musees.marseille.fr/musee-dhistoire-de-marseille-mhm
How long to spend: Allow at least 1.5 to 2 hours for the main galleries, longer if you enjoy reading in-depth panels and exploring the Vestiges garden outside.
Accessibility: The museum is inside a modern complex with lifts and level access; galleries are generally accessible to wheelchair users and strollers.
Facilities: On-site you’ll find toilets, a bookshop, an auditorium and easy access to the cafés and services of the Centre Bourse and nearby streets.
Photography tip: Look for the contrast between sleek exhibition design and rugged ancient stone in the Vestiges garden; wide shots work well to show old quays framed by modern buildings.
Guided tours: Check for scheduled guided visits or themed tours, especially during cultural events; they can add extra depth to specific periods like Greek Massalia or medieval Marseille.
Nearby food options: The Centre Bourse and the streets around the Old Port offer plenty of cafés and brasseries, ideal for a post-museum coffee or meal while you digest what you've seen.

Where to Stay close to the Marseille History Museum

Staying near the Marseille History Museum puts you right between the Old Port and the main shopping streets, with easy access to MuCEM, Le Panier and the station. For a comfortable base with straightforward access to both the museum and the Vieux-Port, Hôtel Carré Vieux Port Marseille is a handy option just a short stroll away. If you’d like something a little more stylish while still being central, Maisons du Monde Hôtel & Suites - Marseille Vieux Port offers characterful rooms within walking distance of Centre Bourse. For those arriving by train who still want to be close to the museum, Alex Hotel & Spa by Saint-Charles station gives you fast metro connections to Vieux-Port and an easy link to the history museum and the rest of the city.

Is the Marseille History Museum Worth Visiting?

Yes, the Marseille History Museum is very much worth your time, especially if you like to understand a city beyond its surface. As France's largest urban history museum, it offers a clear, engaging narrative that stretches from prehistoric settlements to the present day, all anchored in real artefacts and the very ground beneath your feet. It turns what might just be “pretty old streets” into a living story of a port that has been trading, evolving and reinventing itself for over 2,600 years.

What Other Travellers Say...

Reviews Summary

4.5 (1,926)

Marseille History Museum at 2 Rue Henri Barbusse guides visitors through the city's 2,600‑year story with archaeological displays and visible Greek and Roman harbor ruins on site; the free museum showcases excavated walls, tombs, pottery and two ancient ships with models and audio/video explanations, and often hosts temporary exhibits like photography or petanque displays. Visitors note thoughtfully laid-out galleries with space to move, helpful audio guides and friendly staff who can store small bags; signage and some missing exhibits or lack of English captions have caused occasional confusion, and one entrance connects into a shopping mall.

Josh

a month ago

"This museum presents a history of human occupation of the site of the city of Marseille. Visiting gives you a great context for exploring andenjoying the city. It's amazing to recognize the shape of the harbor and see it reoccur in so many paintings, prints, maps, and models. The ruins of the Greek and Roman harbor are in a large fenced area included with the museum. The museum itself contains the remains of boats from that period. When we visited there were also temporary exhibits that added to appreciation of the city, one on photography and another on the game of petanque. Interestingly the museum also opens into an adjustment shopping mall...."

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Gerard Pietrykiewicz

2 months ago

"Entrance is free so that is always nice. The exhibition is somewhat interesting and quite diverse. Some exhibits were missing and there were nocaptions in English, but overall a nice place to visit. I would not say it is a must visit, but if you have some time to kill go ahead...."

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Eileen Weed

2 months ago

"I enjoyed my visit to Marseille's History Museum, displays are laid out thoughtfully and with plenty of space to move around. I especially enjoyedthe models of the excavation sites, and the displays of the tombs. It was a little confusing about where to go, I went up the ramp and into the Mall, and then I had to figure out how to get into the Museum! Maybe more signs outside would help...."

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FAQs for Visiting the Marseille History Museum

The museum is inside the Centre Bourse complex, a short walk from the Old Port and the Vieux-Port/Hotel de Ville metro station in central Marseille.

Most visitors spend between 1.5 and 2 hours exploring the permanent galleries, plus a bit of extra time in the Jardin des Vestiges outside.

Yes, many displays are visual and interactive enough to keep older children engaged, especially those interested in ships, archaeology and ancient stories.

Advance booking is not always required, but it can be helpful during busy holidays or major cultural events; check the latest advice before you go.

It is often included in Marseille city passes or combined tickets with other museums, so it’s worth checking if you plan to visit several cultural sites.

Nearby Attractions to the Marseille History Museum

Jardin des Vestiges: The open-air archaeological park directly linked to the museum, preserving quay walls, fortifications and traces of the ancient port.
Vieux-Port (Old Port): Marseille's historic harbour and social heart, ideal for boat trips, café stops and people-watching.
Le Panier district: The city’s oldest neighbourhood, full of narrow lanes, colourful façades, street art and small independent shops.
MuCEM and Fort Saint-Jean: A major museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations and its adjoining historic fort, connected by striking footbridges over the water.
La Canebière and shopping streets: The historic main avenue and surrounding streets, offering a mix of shops, cafés and classic Marseille city life.

The Marseille History Museum appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Marseille!

Moira & Andy

Hey! We're Moira & Andy. From hiking the Camino to trips around Europe in Bert our campervan — we've been traveling together since retirement in 2020!

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