Museum Regards de Provence

The Musée Regards de Provence is one of the cultural landmarks of Marseille, located in a historic building that once housed a maritime health station. Inaugurated in 2013, the museum is dedicated to promoting and celebrating Provencal and Mediterranean art and culture, offering visitors a rich and engaging experience through a vast collection of works ranging from the 19th century to the present day. The museum’s history is linked to the Fondation Regards de Provence, created in 1997 by Pierre and Michèle Dumon to preserve and enhance the artistic and cultural heritage of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. The foundation has played a crucial role in collecting and preserving significant works of art that reflect the essence and beauty of the Provencal landscape, as well as the life and traditions of its people. The building housing the museum, known as the “Station Sanitaire,” is itself a piece of history. Built in 1948 to prevent the spread of diseases among maritime travelers, it has been transformed into an elegant exhibition space that maintains the charm of its industrial past. The renovation of the building has preserved many of the original architectural elements, creating a harmonious dialogue between past and present. The Musée Regards de Provence collection consists of over 850 works, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, and photographs. The represented artists include illustrious names such as Raoul Dufy, Jean Cocteau, Auguste Renoir, and many others who found inspiration in the bright landscapes and vibrant colors of Provence. Each exhibited work tells a story, captures a moment of Provencal life, or explores the various facets of the Mediterranean. One of the distinctive features of the museum is its ability to organize thematic exhibitions that explore various aspects of Provencal and Mediterranean culture and art. These exhibitions not only highlight works from the permanent collection but often include loans from other institutions and private collections, further enriching the visitor experience. Recent themes have included the exploration of light in the Provencal landscape, the role of the Mediterranean as a crossroads of cultures, and the representation of daily life and local traditions in art. An interesting anecdote about the museum is the story of its inauguration, which coincided with the year Marseille was named European Capital of Culture in 2013. This event marked a moment of cultural revival for the city, and the opening of the Musée Regards de Provence symbolized Marseille’s desire to celebrate and share its rich cultural heritage with the world.