Nice & the Riviera · MUSEUMS
In summer the good museum visits fill weeks ahead. Below: the 5 to book first, what each includes and how they differ.
Spend a day at Monaco’s Oceanographic Museum, where more than 100 tanks display Mediterranean and tropical marine life. Follow the Mediterranean 2050 exhibition through Oceanomania, Monaco’s ocean history and a futuristic submersible experience, then head to the rooftop for sea views, a restaurant, snack bar and play area.
“Amazing aquarium and so interesting but slightly pricey for what was there”
Spend two hours at Nice’s National Sports Museum and Allianz Riviera stadium, with a guide speaking French and some information translated into English. See player facilities, the press area and pitchside, then explore sporting history from antiquity to today, including a Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic exhibition. Lisa has been praised as a guide, though guides can vary.
Visit the Escoffier Culinary Art Museum in the 18th-century house where chef Auguste Escoffier was born. Your ticket covers the museum’s ten rooms, with personal objects, historic kitchen furniture, menus, and sugar and chocolate sculptures. Allow about 45 minutes. An audioguide is available to rent separately.
“Visite très intéressante. Ce musée de la gastronomie Française est parfaitement entretenu et le personnel très sympathique. Nous y retournerons .”
Artist and teacher Nicola Powys leads this two-hour English-language experience in Antibes. Start with a one-hour guided visit to the Picasso Museum, then use sketching materials outdoors to make a personal artwork inspired by Picasso and the town. Museum entry and art tuition are included. Children under six are not suited to the activity.
“Recommend very highly! Nicola kept the tour interesting and relevant for old and young. 10 year old son absolutely fascinated, very patient with my 7 year old. Art at the end was fantastic!!! Nicola shared offered perspectives on making art, understanding Picassos work, and embracing the culture and history of Antibes. Eleven out of ten stars!!”
Visit Nice’s Marc Chagall National Museum with a private English-speaking guide, with admission included. Learn how Chagall’s life, faith, loves, and artistic symbols shape his paintings. You can also ask about adding the Matisse Museum or a visit to Cimiez, though the tour details do not make clear which extras are part of each booking.
“I don’t ever remember getting a more in-depth tour in an art museum. The Marc Chagall museum houses many of Chagall’s most important paintings, and our guide was amazing in explaining their relevance. She was a wealth of knowledge and her stories made the artist really come alive.”
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