Matisse's Nice years
Trace Matisse from Fauvism to the late cut-outs.
{{item.title}}
Musée Matisse, Nice
No reviews yet
One of 178 Things to Do in France
In short
Henri Matisse lived in Nice from 1917, and this 17th-century villa on Cimiez hill holds his paintings, drawings, prints and cut-outs. The standard ticket is about €12, students and under-18s go free, and the €15 four-day Nice Museums Pass covers it. It opens 10 AM, closes at 6 PM from April to October, and shuts on Tuesdays. Plan an hour or so.
The Musée Matisse is Nice's municipal museum of Henri Matisse, in the red-ochre Villa des Arènes at 164 Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez, among olive groves on Cimiez hill above the city. Its collection, mostly given by Matisse and his family, follows his whole career. A standard ticket costs about €12 in 2026, and it suits art lovers spending a day in Nice.
The villa and Matisse's years in Nice
The villa was built between 1670 and 1685 for Jean-Baptiste Gubernatis, consul of Nice, and was known as the Gubernatis palace. The City of Nice bought it in 1950. Matisse settled in Nice in 1917 and stayed for the rest of his life. He lived for long periods at the Hôtel Régina, a former grand hotel close to the villa, from 1938 to 1943 and again from 1949, apart from his wartime years in nearby Vence, and he died in Nice in 1954. His grave is at the Cimiez cemetery by the monastery, about 300 metres away.
The museum was inaugurated on 5 January 1963 on the villa's first floor. When the archaeological museum moved out in 1989, the building closed for four years and reopened in 1993 as a larger, modernised museum.
68 paintings, 57 sculptures and 236 drawings
The collection holds 68 paintings and painted paper cut-outs, 236 drawings, 218 prints, 57 sculptures, 95 photographs and 14 illustrated books, along with personal objects. The sculptures are a large share of his output in that medium. Together the works run from early still lifes to the cut-outs of his last years.
187 personal objects and the 1993 wing
Alongside the artworks, the museum keeps 187 objects that belonged to Matisse, many of which appear in his paintings. The 1993 reopening added a new modern wing to the renovated villa. Matisse lived and worked in Nice from 1917 until his death in 1954.
Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk
Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change
We check practical details such as entry rules, seasons and costs against official government and tourism sources.
–/5
No reviews yet
Been here? Your review helps other travellers.
Key information
🏛️Building: 17th-century Genoese-style Villa des Arènes
📅Opened: 1963
🖼️Collection: Works from every period of Henri Matisse, who lived in Nice from 1917
🌳Setting: Olive grove of the Cimiez park beside Roman ruins
💰Currency: Euro (€ EUR)
🕕Time Zone: Central European Time (UTC+1; UTC+2 in summer)
Explore the area
Cimiez Roman arenas and archaeology museum next door
Cimiez Monastery and Matisse's grave 300 m
Musée National Marc Chagall 1.5 km
Arènes / Musée Matisse bus stop outside
Vieux Nice 3 km
✦
This attraction is in high demand!
Closed 29 September – 20 October 2026 while a new exhibition is installed
Highlights Include:
Matisse
- Paintings from his early career to Nice
- Cut-outs and their studies
- Drawings and sculpture
Setting
- Red-ochre Genoese villa
- Olive grove and Roman arenas
Nearby
- Matisse's grave at Cimiez cemetery
What They Offer
Museum pass
Nice Museums Pass, 4 days for €15
Park
Cimiez olive grove
Shop
Bookshop
Visit duration
1–1.5 hours, plus time for the olive grove and the Cimiez arenas next door
Timed entry required No
Cimiez hill
Walk the olive grove to the Roman arenas and the monastery garden.
Museum pass
The 4-day pass covers all Nice municipal museums.
Accessibility
Lift access; contact the museum for accessibility services.
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, restrooms; park around the museum
Tips for visiting Musée Matisse, Nice
- Check the official website for closures, including 29 September to 20 October 2026.
- Buy the 4 day Nice Museums Pass if you plan to visit several city museums.
- Avoid Tuesdays, when the museum is closed.
- Walk through the olive grove park around the villa.
- Combine your visit with the Musée Chagall lower down Cimiez hill.
Driving
Parking on Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez.
Public transportation
Bus lines 5, 16, 18, 33 and 40 to Arènes / Musée Matisse.
Address
The Musée Matisse is at 164 avenue des Arènes de Cimiez on Cimiez hill, Nice, beside the Roman arenas and archaeology museum. The Musée National Marc Chagall is about 1.5 km down the hill and Vieux Nice about 3 km.
Opening Hours
- Monday10:00-18:00
- TuesdayClosed
- Wednesday10:00-18:00
- Thursday10:00-18:00
- Friday10:00-18:00
- Saturday10:00-18:00
- Sunday10:00-18:00
- April – October10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- November – March10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Last entry: About 30 minutes before closing
Closed on Tuesdays, 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May and 25 December; also closed 29 September – 20 October 2026.
April – October 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; November – March 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Special events
A new exhibition opens after the October 2026 closure.
Best times to visit
Morning.
Best days to visit
Weekdays except Tuesday.
Best months to visit
Spring and autumn.
Admission tickets
Prices and how to get tickets.
Musée Matisse: Entry Ticket
Municipal museum ticket; the Nice Museums Pass also covers it.
- Permanent collection
- Exhibitions
Ticket prices
About €12 standard ticket (2026); under 18s and students free with proof. The 4-day Nice Museums Pass (€15) covers every municipal museum in the city
Opening hours
Open now · 10:00 AM - 6:00 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
Under 18s and students enter free with proof.
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 or cash.
Contribute:
Recently viewed attractions
Others of this kind you opened on this device, so you can get back to them quickly.
Travelers are asking
It is closed from 29 September to 20 October 2026 while a new exhibition is prepared.
Yes, the Nice Museums Pass costs €15 for 4 days.
Still looking?
Our team answers questions here
Stay in France
Where to stay near Musée Matisse, Nice
Hotels closest to Musée Matisse, Nice, nearest first, so you spend less time on the road and more time there.
Nice
Hôtel Le Negresco5-star hotel
No reviews yet3.1 km from Musée Matisse
from$550.00/ night
- Free WiFi
- Fitness center
- Air conditioning
3 Rooms available
Book Now
Explore by Theme
Find your kind of trip: 24 travel themes, from Museums, Beaches, Art Galleries.
Top things to do nearby
More of Cimiez and Nice.
France
Musée National Marc Chagall, Nice
The Musée National Marc Chagall is a national museum on Avenue du Docteur Ménard, on the lower slopes of Cimiez hill in Nice, built to house Chagall's Biblical...
No reviews yet
France
Musée Picasso, Antibes
The Musée Picasso in Antibes is a municipal museum in the Château Grimaldi, on Place Mariejol in the old town of Antibes on the French Riviera, just above the s...
No reviews yet
France
Musée Granet, Aix-en-Provence
The Musée Granet is the fine arts museum of Aix-en-Provence, on Place Saint-Jean-de-Malte in the Mazarin quarter, about 300 metres south of the Cours Mirabeau....
No reviews yet
France
Cézanne's Studio (Atelier de Cézanne), Aix-en-Provence
Cézanne's Studio (the Atelier des Lauves) is the workshop where Paul Cézanne painted for the last four years of his life, at 9 Avenue Paul Cézanne on the Lauves...
No reviews yet
France
Mucem (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations), Marseille
The Mucem, the Musée des civilisations de l'Europe et de la Méditerranée, is a national museum on the waterfront at the entrance to Marseille's Old Port, at 7 p...
No reviews yet
France
Musée de Grenoble
The Musée de Grenoble is the city's fine arts museum, at 5 place Lavalette on the bank of the Isère in Grenoble, in the French Alps. Its permanent collection, f...
No reviews yet
France
Musée Fabre, Montpellier
The Musée Fabre is the fine arts museum of Montpellier in southern France, at 39 boulevard Bonne Nouvelle on the edge of the old town, about 300 metres from Pla...
No reviews yet
France
Musée des Confluences, Lyon
The Musée des Confluences is a museum of science and human societies at 86 quai Perrache in Lyon, built at the southern tip of the Presqu'île where the Rhône an...
No reviews yet
France
Sainte-Marie de La Tourette
Sainte-Marie de La Tourette is a Dominican priory designed by Le Corbusier at 760 Route de La Tourette in Éveux, near L'Arbresle, about 25 kilometres north-west...
No reviews yet
Save time: create a trip and get offers from locals
Tell us where and when you want to go, and local travel experts send you offers for your trip.
1 Create a trip
2 Get offers from locals
3 Pick the one you like
Create a trip
Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answers based on the Musée Matisse information.
Timing & weather
Yes. The museum was closed from 29 September to 20 October 2026 to install a new exhibition and has since reopened. From November to March it opens 10am to 5pm, closed on Tuesdays; check the official website before your visit.
From April to October it opens 10 am to 6 pm, and from November to March 10 am to 5 pm. It is closed on Tuesdays, 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May and 25 December.
It was inaugurated on 5 January 1963 and reopened in 1993 after a four-year expansion.
Most visitors spend 1–1.5 hours, plus time for the olive grove and the Cimiez arenas next door at Musée Matisse, Nice.
Prices & payment
In 2026 a standard ticket costs about 12 euros (roughly USD 14). The 15-euro Nice Museums Pass covers every municipal museum in the city for four days, so it is worth buying if Matisse is one of several stops.
Getting there
The bus is the easiest way up Cimiez hill, as the stop is right outside the villa. Coming from the Musée Chagall lower down, the two museums are about 1.5 kilometres apart, a walk that climbs steadily.
Bus lines 5, 16, 18, 33 and 40 stop at Arènes / Musée Matisse, right outside the villa.
General
The collection includes 68 paintings and gouaches, 236 drawings, 218 prints, 57 sculptures, 95 photographs and 14 illustrated books, mostly donated by Matisse and his family, covering his whole career.
Yes. Under-18s and students enter free with proof.
Matisse is buried in the Cimiez cemetery by the monastery, about 300 metres from the museum.
The Cimiez Roman arenas and archaeology museum are next door, and the olive grove surrounds the villa.
Yes. It keeps 187 objects that belonged to the painter, many of which appear in his work.
Comfortable shoes.
Explore the area on this page lists 5 places around Musée Matisse, Nice, among them Cimiez Roman arenas and archaeology museum and Cimiez Monastery and Matisse's grave.
The closest hotel listed on bookingMentor is Hôtel Le Negresco, 3.1 km away.
bookingMentor lists 5 places to stay in France in all.