Marc Chagall National Museum in Nice: tickets, hours and works
The Marc Chagall national museum in Cimiez, Nice, holds the Biblical Message cycle and one of the largest collections of the artist. Opening hours, Tuesday closure, 2026 prices, access from Nice and visit duration.
At the far end of boulevard de Cimiez, in a sober building opened in 1973, the Marc Chagall National Museum brings together one of the most important collections of the painter, including the Biblical Message cycle designed for the site. Opening hours, prices, free admission, access and visit length: everything you need to know before heading up to Cimiez.
What you will see
The museum was inaugurated on 7 July 1973, on the occasion of the artist's 86th birthday: it was the first French national museum devoted to a living artist. The building, by architect André Hermant, was designed together with Chagall, who added the stained-glass windows of the auditorium and a mosaic.
- The Biblical Message: the cycle given to the French State in 1966, namely twelve large paintings illustrating Genesis and Exodus, completed by five paintings from the Song of Songs. The room is laid out in interlocking lozenges, a hanging scheme chosen by the artist himself;
- The prophet figures: Chagall spent more than twenty years illustrating the Bible, 105 etchings published in 1956, gouaches, lithographs. "I will make the prophets," he wrote in 1925: patriarchs and prophets haunt his work, right up to the garden mosaic, The Prophet Elijah;
- Three monumental works donated with the museum: the mosaic The Prophet Elijah in the garden, the stained-glass windows The Creation of the World and the Gobelins tapestry Mediterranean Landscape;
- The Mediterranean garden, planted with cool-toned species at the painter's request, accessible even during the lunch break.
Opening hours 2026 and Tuesday closure
The museum is open every day except Tuesday, as well as on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December.
- Until 31 October 2026: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a break from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (the garden and the bookshop-library remain accessible while the galleries are closed). Exception: on Monday 12 October 2026, closing time is 4:30 p.m.;
- From 1 November to 31 December 2026: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:30 to 5 p.m., with a lunch break throughout November and December;
- Ticket sales stop 30 minutes before closing, galleries are cleared 15 minutes before. On 24 and 31 December, the museum closes at 4 p.m. (ticket desk until 3:30 p.m.).
Please note: some galleries may occasionally be closed, and an exhibition dismantling leads to a partial closure from 24 September to 10 October 2026. Check the notice on the day of your visit. Up-to-date details: practical information from the museum.
Prices, tickets and free admission
- Outside exhibition periods: full price €10, reduced rate €8, groups (from 10 people) €8.50;
- During exhibition periods: full price €12, reduced rate €10, groups €10.50. The rate applied depends on the number of galleries open on the day of your visit;
- Free admission: on the first Sunday of the month for everyone, for visitors under 26 who are nationals or residents of the European Union, for teachers holding the Pass Éducation, for certain recipients of social minimum benefits, and for people with disabilities (Mobility Inclusion card) accompanied by a companion;
- Combined Chagall – Léger ticket (Fernand Léger National Museum, Biot), valid for 30 days from issue.
Payment in cash, bank cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express) and holiday vouchers (chèques-vacances). Booking is no longer required for a simple visit, and the museum also sells tickets online: official prices.
Getting there from Nice
- By bus: line 5, stop "Musée Chagall", or the open-top bus Nice Le Grand Tour, same stop. The Grand Tour is included in the French Riviera Pass;
- By tram then on foot: line 1, stop "Gare Thiers", then about a 15-minute walk through Cimiez;
- On foot from the station: 15 minutes from Nice-Ville, along boulevard de Cimiez;
- By car: A8 motorway, exit "Nice Centre", then the Mathis expressway, exit "Cimiez", free car park for cars and coaches;
- GPS coordinates: 43.709136 | 7.269527. Line sheets and maps: trams and buses in Nice.
Visit duration and what to see nearby
Plan at least one hour: the permanent display and the garden easily take 1h30. The museum combines very well with Cimiez:
- Matisse Museum and the arena, a few minutes' walk away;
- Cimiez Archaeology Museum (Cemenelum) and the monastery;
- MAMAC, modern and contemporary art, for a contrasting programme;
- All the museums of Nice: hours, prices and closures in one place;
- Exhibitions currently on in Nice to check whether an exhibition changes the price on the day.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Chagall Museum closed on Tuesdays?
Yes. The museum is open every day except Tuesday, as well as on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. Also remember the lunch break from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
How much does entry to the Chagall Museum cost in 2026?
€10 full price and €8 reduced outside exhibition periods, €12 and €10 during exhibition periods. Free entry on the first Sunday of the month and for visitors under 26 who are nationals or residents of the EU.
Which bus should I take to the Chagall Museum from Nice?
Bus 5 (stop "Musée Chagall") or the open-top bus Nice Le Grand Tour. By tram, line 1 to Gare Thiers, then a 15-minute walk.
How much time should I allow for the visit?
At least one hour according to the tourist office, 1h30 if you add the garden and the shop. You can then continue on to the Matisse Museum, a few minutes away.
