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Musée d'Art Contemporain de Lyon
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In short
macLYON is the city's contemporary art museum, in the Cité Internationale beside the Parc de la Tête d'Or, known for large installations, video and sound work and as a main venue of the Lyon Biennale. Entry is by exhibition ticket. It opens 11:00 to 18:00 midweek and 10:00 to 19:00 at weekends, closed Mondays. Most visitors spend one and a half to two hours.
The Musée d'Art Contemporain de Lyon, known as macLYON, is the city's contemporary art museum, in the Cité Internationale on Quai Charles de Gaulle in Lyon's 6th arrondissement, beside the Parc de la Tête d'Or. It suits visitors who like large installations, video and sound work, and anyone in Lyon during the Biennale. It was founded in 1984 in a wing of the Palais Saint-Pierre.
A Renzo Piano building by the park
Since 1995 the museum has occupied a building designed by Renzo Piano as part of his plan for the whole Cité Internationale. The move coincided with the third Lyon Biennale. Piano kept the facade of the atrium of the former Palais de la Foire, which still faces the park, and placed flexible galleries behind it on three floors.
Because the floors can be reconfigured for each show, one artist or theme sometimes takes over most of the building. Expect the layout to change completely between visits.
Large installations, video and sound since the 1960s
The collection covers work made since the 1960s, much of it large installations, video and sound pieces produced for past exhibitions in Lyon. Three works the museum itself singles out show the scale: Cai Guo-Qiang's Roller Coaster (2001), a roller coaster built inside the museum, Erwin Wurm's Truck (2007), and Dream House (1990), a light and sound installation by La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela.
There is no fixed permanent display. Collection pieces appear in rotation, and in autumn 2026 part of the collection is on loan to the city's fine arts museum.
macLYON as a venue of the 18th Lyon Biennale
From 19 September to 13 December 2026 macLYON is a main venue of the 18th Lyon Biennale, titled "To pass from one dream to another" (Passer d'un rêve à l'autre). Biennale tickets are sold through the Biennale's own ticketing site. The young artists' section of the same Biennale runs at the Institut d'art contemporain in Villeurbanne over the same dates.
Separately, the exhibition Musée sentimental takes works from the macLYON collection to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon from 11 September 2026 to 14 March 2027, so fans of the collection can see it on the Presqu'île as well.
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Key information
🏛️Building: Renzo Piano's Cité Internationale, opened 1995
🎨Focus: Contemporary art; no fixed permanent display
🌍Biennale: Main venue of the Lyon Biennale of Contemporary Art
🌳Setting: Between the Rhône and the Parc de la Tête d'Or
💰Currency: Euro (€ EUR)
🕕Time Zone: Central European Time (UTC+1; UTC+2 in summer)
Explore the area
Parc de la Tête d'Or 300 m
Lyon Zoo 800 m
Cité Internationale same complex
Lyon Part-Dieu station 3 km
Musée des Confluences 7 km
✦
Plan your visit to Musée d'Art Contemporain de Lyon
Dates, opening hours and how to get there are below. Booking ahead secures your preferred day.
Highlights Include:
Exhibitions
- Large contemporary exhibitions over three floors
Biennale
- Lyon Biennale venue (odd years)
Park
- Parc de la Tête d'Or next door
What They Offer
Parking
Three car parks on Quai Charles de Gaulle
Bike paths
Rhône cycle paths to the door
Shop
Bookshop
Visit duration
1.5–2 hours
Timed entry required No
Tête d'Or
Walk in one of France's largest urban parks.
By bike
Cycle along the Rhône quays.
Accessibility
Accessible with lifts.
Age limits
None.
What to pack
Ticket on your phone, ID for reduced or free entry
What to wear
Comfortable shoes
Not allowed
Touching the works, food and drink in the galleries, flash photography, large bags, selfie sticks
Amenities
Bookshop, cloakroom, restrooms; macBAR café, bookshop; ground-floor documentation centre free by appointment Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 11:00–17:00
Tips for visiting Musée d'Art Contemporain de Lyon
- Check the website to make sure an exhibition is running, as the museum may close between shows.
- Remember the museum is closed on Mondays.
- Use buses C1, C5 or C23 from central Lyon.
- Combine the visit with the Parc de la Tête d'Or next door.
- Visit during the Lyon Biennale for the widest programme.
Driving
Three car parks along Quai Charles de Gaulle.
Public transportation
Bus lines C1, C5 and C23 to Cité Internationale; cycle paths along the Rhône quays and through the Parc de la Tête d'Or. Lyon Part-Dieu station is about 3 km away.
Address
The MAC Lyon is at 81 quai Charles de Gaulle in the Cité Internationale. The Parc de la Tête d'Or, with its lake, botanical garden and free zoo, is a 300 m walk.
Opening Hours
- MondayClosed
- Tuesday11:00-18:00
- Wednesday11:00-18:00
- Thursday11:00-18:00
- Friday11:00-18:00
- Saturday10:00-19:00
- Sunday10:00-19:00
Last entry: About 30 minutes before closing
Closed on Mondays; closed between exhibitions.
Hours from the official site.
Special events
Lyon Biennale of Contemporary Art.
Best times to visit
Weekend mornings.
Best days to visit
Tuesday to Friday.
Best months to visit
Biennale years, September – January.
Admission tickets
Prices and how to get tickets.
MAC Lyon: Exhibition Ticket
Ticket for the current exhibition.
- Current exhibitions
Ticket prices
Ticket prices are not confirmed yet. Check the official website or send us an enquiry.
Opening hours
Open now · 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM · Last entry About 30 minutes before closing
Visitor policy
Cancellation and prepayment
Tickets are generally non-refundable; check the museum's booking terms.
Children and admission
Reduced or free rates for young visitors; check the official site.
Groups
Groups must book in advance with the museum.
Pets
Only assistance dogs are admitted.
Photography
Personal photography without flash is generally allowed in the permanent collection; some temporary exhibitions forbid it.
Bags
Large bags and suitcases must be left in the cloakroom or are refused; bags are checked at the entrance.
Smoking
Not permitted inside the museum.
Accepted payment
At the desk by card.
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On Mondays and between exhibitions.
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Where to stay near Musée d'Art Contemporain de Lyon
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answers based on the museum's official information.
Timing & weather
Tuesday to Friday from 11am to 6pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 7pm. The museum is closed on Mondays and may close between exhibitions while new shows are installed.
One to two hours covers most exhibitions. During the Biennale, when every floor is used, allow closer to two hours.
The best months to visit Musée d'Art Contemporain de Lyon are September – January. The best days and times of day are covered under When to visit on this page.
General
In the Cité Internationale in Lyon's 6th arrondissement, beside the Parc de la Tête d'Or and along the Rhône. Bus lines C1, C5 and C23 stop nearby, and there are three car parks on Quai Charles de Gaulle.
Contemporary art since the 1960s, mainly through large temporary exhibitions that can fill the whole building. Installation, video and sound works feature often, and the museum is closely linked with the Lyon Biennale.
Yes. The museum sits on the edge of the park, about 300 m from the main paths, so you can add a walk around the lake, the botanical garden or the free zoo before or after your visit.
Renzo Piano. The museum moved into his building in 1995 as part of his plan for the Cité Internationale, keeping the facade of the old Palais de la Foire atrium that faces the park.
Yes. It is a main venue of the 18th Lyon Biennale, "To pass from one dream to another", which runs from 19 September to 13 December 2026.
The collection includes Cai Guo-Qiang's Roller Coaster (2001), Erwin Wurm's Truck (2007) and the light and sound installation Dream House (1990) by La Monte Young and Marian Zazeela. Works are shown in rotation.
Yes. The macBAR café and the bookshop are both on site. Opening times for each are listed on the museum's facilities page.
Yes. The documentation centre on the ground floor is free by appointment on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 11am to 5pm.
Comfortable shoes.
Explore the area on this page lists 5 places around Musée d'Art Contemporain de Lyon, among them Parc de la Tête d'Or and Lyon Zoo.
Booking
Prices are published on the museum's rates page and depend on the exhibition. During the Biennale, tickets are sold through the Biennale's own ticketing site, so check there for full, reduced and free entry conditions.
Getting there
You can reach Musée d'Art Contemporain de Lyon by public transport or by car. Both routes are described under How to get there on this page.