Mucem

The Mucem, the Musée des Civilisations de l'Europe et de la Méditerranée, stands at 7 Promenade Robert Laffont on the J4 pier at the entrance to the Vieux-Port in Marseille's 2nd arrondissement, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. It opened in June 2013, when Marseille was European Capital of Culture, and it was the first national museum in France to be located outside Paris. Its collections descend from the former Musée des Arts et Traditions Populaires in Paris and were moved to Marseille to give the museum a Mediterranean focus. The museum is made up of three parts: the J4 building, the neighbouring Fort Saint-Jean, and the conservation and resource centre at La Belle de Mai. The J4 building was designed by Rudy Ricciotti and Roland Carta as a 15-metre cube wrapped in a lace-like lattice of fibre-reinforced concrete, and a footbridge connects the cube to the 17th-century fort, which has been restored as part of the campus. Inside, the permanent galleries examine Mediterranean civilisations, from the invention of agriculture and writing to modern migration, using objects, images and documents rather than a strict timeline. The approach is thematic and often topical, with temporary exhibitions on subjects such as art, food, religion and social change that have drawn large audiences. A restaurant and a roof terrace overlook the harbour, and the architecture itself is one of the main attractions. The building has been maintained in good condition since its opening, with ongoing updates to displays. Entry costs EUR 11, with reduced and family rates, and tickets can be bought on the museum's own website. The Mucem is part of the regeneration of the Marseille waterfront and links together the harbour, the Panier and the cathedral area, so it serves as a good starting point for an exploration of the old city. Visitors interested in both architecture and ethnography will find it a rich and varied stop.