Department
Museums, galleries and heritage in Bouches-du-Rhône
258 places to discover across Bouches-du-Rhône.
Including Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure and Château des Baux.
60 of 258 places, sorted by distance from the center
MuseumMusée d'arts et traditions populaires Albert Reynaud
Marignane
Musée de l'Aviation
Saint-Victoret
MuseumMusée Ziem
Martigues
Musée des Amis de Castrum Vetus
Châteauneuf-les-Martigues
Nadine Billo - Artiste Pastelliste
Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts
Merlinvest
Gignac-la-Nerthe
MuseumGalerie de l'histoire de Martigues
Martigues
MuseumMusée du vieux Saint-Chamas
Saint-Chamas
GalleryEloge de l'Art
Salon-de-Provence
CastleChâteau de la Barben
La Barben
GalleryPavillon Des Arts
Carry-le-Rouet
GalleryLa bergerie
Carry-le-Rouet
GalleryBlack Vault Gallery
Martigues
GalleryShowroom Sandrine Berthon
Pélissanne
CastleMusée de l'Emperi
Salon-de-Provence
GalleryGalerie d'Eon
Salon-de-Provence
Religious siteÉglise Saint-Michel de Salon
Salon-de-Provence
GalleryLe Pôle Chezanne
Marseille
GalleryLe Jardin d'Eguilles
Éguilles
MuseumPetit Musée de Carro
Martigues
MuseumMusée Suffren et du vieux Saint-Cannat
Saint-Cannat
GalleryGalerie Franck Marcelin
Éguilles
MuseumFondation Vasarely
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryArts-Discovery
Aix-en-Provence
GallerySpeech Art
Aix-en-Provence
Gallery3 bis f - Centre d'arts contemporains
Aix-en-Provence
MuseumMusée du pavillon de Vendôme
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryGallifet
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryYellowKorner
Aix-en-Provence
Arterravins
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryGalerie Goyet
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryGalerie d'art Carré d'artistes
Aix-en-Provence
MuseumMusée du vieil Aix
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryGalerie Saltiel
Aix-en-Provence
Religious siteCathédrale Saint-Sauveur d'Aix
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryAmis des Arts
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryGalerie Jeanne Bossert
Aix-en-Provence
MuseumMusée des tapisseries
Aix-en-Provence
MuseumMusée Paul Arbaud
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryGalerie Le Container
Aix-en-Provence
MuseumMusée de l'atelier de Paul Cézanne
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryGalerie Portalis - Les 3 Ormeaux
Aix-en-Provence
MuseumAtelier des Lauves
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryGalerie À Miriam Hartmann
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryCathy Art
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryGalerie Ars Longa
Aix-en-Provence
Gallerygalerie nea
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryBel-Air Fine Art
Aix-en-Provence
Gallerygalerie Parallax
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryWildlife Art, Aurélien Raynaud
Aix-en-Provence
MuseumMusée Granet
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryGalerie Ramand
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryNest Gallery
Aix-en-Provence
MuseumGranet XXe, chapelle des Pénitents blancs
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryLa Non-Maison
Aix-en-Provence
GalleryAteliers Agora
Eyguières
GalleryMichelle Picca Angers
Eyguières
MuseumMx Experience
Marseille
MuseumFrac Sud - Cité de l'art contemporain
Marseille
Gallery361° - Espace d'Art Contemporain
Aix-en-Provence
A Department Shaped by Three Distinct Cities
Bouches-du-Rhône, part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, owes its cultural weight to three towns that developed almost independently: Marseille, France's oldest city and a major Mediterranean port; Aix-en-Provence, the former capital of Provence and birthplace of Paul Cézanne; and Arles, where Roman infrastructure and Van Gogh's brief but intense stay left a permanent mark.
Marseille alone gathers a cluster of civic museums, many built around the 19th-century Palais Longchamp, including the Musée des Beaux Arts de Marseille and the Muséum d'histoire naturelle de la Ville de Marseille, housed in the same building's two wings.
Marseille, Aix and Arles: Distinct Cultural Territories
In Marseille, the area around the Vieux-Port concentrates history museums, notably the Musée d'histoire de la Ville de Marseille, built directly on the excavated remains of the ancient port, and the Musée d'Archéologie Méditerranéenne de la Ville de Marseille. Further south, the industrial heritage site Friche de l'escalette occupies a former lead factory along the coastline.
Aix-en-Provence is best explored on foot between the Musée Granet in the old town and the hillside Atelier des Lauves, Cézanne's last studio, a twenty-minute walk north. Contemporary art has its own circuit here, from 3 bis f - Centre d'arts contemporains to the Granet XXe, chapelle des Pénitents blancs.
Arles is compact enough to cover on foot, with Roman and medieval monuments recognised by UNESCO as Arles, monuments romains et romans standing a few streets from the Fondation Vincent van Gogh Arles and the Musée Réattu, set in a former Grand Priory of the Knights of Malta.
Cézanne, Van Gogh and the Painters of Provence
Paul Cézanne was born and worked in Aix-en-Provence, and the town preserves the most direct trace of his practice at the Atelier des Lauves, where his easel, coat and studio props remain in place. Nearby, the Moulin Cézanne in Le Tholonet recalls the countryside he painted repeatedly.
Vincent van Gogh lived in Arles for just over a year, a period that produced some of his best-known canvases; the Fondation Vincent van Gogh Arles does not hold his original works permanently but pairs contemporary art with pieces on loan that dialogue with his legacy. In the same city, the more recent LEE UFAN ARLES brings the minimalist sculptor and painter's work into a Roman-era setting.
Frequently asked questions
How many days are needed to see the main museums of Bouches-du-Rhône?
Plan at least three to four days: one full day in Aix-en-Provence for Cézanne sites, one to two days in Marseille for its civic museums, and one day in Arles for its Roman monuments and Van Gogh-related sites.
Is it possible to visit Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and Arles without a car?
Yes, all three cities are connected by regular train service, with journeys under an hour between Marseille and Aix, and around 20 minutes between Marseille and Arles.
What is the best time of year to visit Arles' Roman monuments?
Spring (April-June) and early autumn (September-October) offer mild temperatures for exploring the open-air amphitheatre and Roman theatre without the summer crowds and heat.
Are the Marseille museums at Palais Longchamp free to enter?
The permanent collections of the Musée des Beaux Arts de Marseille and the Muséum d'histoire naturelle, both housed in the Palais Longchamp, are free of charge, though temporary exhibitions may require a ticket.
Can you still see where Cézanne actually painted in Aix-en-Provence?
Yes, the Atelier des Lauves preserves his final studio exactly as he left it in 1906, and the nearby Moulin Cézanne in Le Tholonet sits within the countryside he depicted in numerous landscapes.
Is the Musée du Savon de Marseille a working factory or just an exhibition?
It is both: the museum is operated by an active soap works, the Savonnerie de la Licorne, so visitors can see traditional production methods alongside the historical displays.