Overview
Rudy Ricciotti’s building wraps a black lattice around a glass box, so the light inside is filtered like a mashrabiya screen. The permanent gallery treats the Mediterranean as one region across religions and centuries — agriculture, monotheism, citizenship, exploration — and the temporary shows are usually the stronger half. The fort next door is medieval and free to walk.
Highlights
The rooftop and the footbridges are free and give the best sea views in the city; you only pay to enter the galleries. Walk the fort’s gardens for the view back at the lattice. The Villa Méditerranée and the Cathédrale de la Major stand alongside, so the whole waterfront is one visit.