A vibrant culture and museum complex serves as an artistic hub for Marseille, in a building that was once a 17th-century shelter for the homeless.
Designed by Pierre Puget, one of Marseille’s most famous sons, La Vieille Charité was once a place for “the great confinement of the poor.” Today the building houses several museums and cultural organizations that give even a casual visitor a sense of the life of art in the city. It is also worth visiting to appreciate the architecture of the building, which is topped by an elegant dome that easily dates the building to the height of the Baroque period.
Wander in the entrance and take a moment to breathe in the calm that radiates from La Vieille Charité’s walls. Start your tour in the Museum of Mediterranean Archaeology, which brings together art and artifacts from all around the Mediterranean basin with a focus on Egypt and Greece.
Continue on to the Museum of African, Oceanic and Amerindian Art, featuring an extensive collection of shrunken heads donated to the museum by famed French explorer Dr. Gastaut.
Visit the Centre International de la Poésie de Marseille (CIPM), where poets from around the city, country and even the world come together to discuss and read their work. Watch French arthouse cinema at the “Le Miroir” cinema, where you might discover a new favorite.
See what’s on in the temporary exhibition halls, where rotating collections highlights the art and history of Provence and Marseille itself. Have your nightly apéritif in the café within the walls, taking your glass of wine to one of the recesses to relax and chat as the evening descends.
La Vieille Charité is in the heart of Marseille, just north of the Vieux Port. Walk or take the tram from Marseille-St-Charles station in 18 minutes, or walk from the Old Port in 12 minutes. Drive from the airport in 20 minutes. Metered parking is available nearby.
The center is open daily, except every other Monday, from mid-morning to the early evening. Individual museums and centers inside have variable hours. Access to the center is free, but the museums and temporary exhibits have a fee. All museums are free on the first Sunday of the month.
