Opened to the public in 1963, Musée Matisse stands as a vibrant testament to Henri Matisse’s lifelong connection to Nice, the city where he produced his largest body of work. Located in a red-ochre 17th-century Genoese villa atop Cimiez Hill, the museum is close to Hôtel Régina (now a private residence), where Matisse lived from 1918 until his death in 1954. The historic Monastère Notre Dame de Cimiez cemetery, a five-minute walk across the park, houses Matisse’s tomb. In 1993, a new wing and overall renovation established the museum as it stands today. The esteemed collection, donated to Nice by the artist and hi🌄s heirs, comprises hundreds of artworks made from the 1890s onwards, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, tapestries, engravings, illustrated books and fa💎med paper cut-outs, alongside a fascinating selection of personal belongings. Many of the artworks and objects came directly from Matisse’s studio, famously a carefully curated creative environment, which indicates their great personal significance to the artist. The museum also presents themed temporary exhibitions related to Matisse’s oeuvre and stages a dynamic program of educational and cultural activities to foster dialogues between cultures and generations, echoing the spirit of Matisse’s artistic research.

^{Exterior view of Musée Matisse Nice, the contemporary wing and the villa. Photograph © François Fernandez. Interior view of Musée Matisse Nice, the contemporary wing and the artwork “Flowers and Fruits.” Photograph © François Fernandez}