Musée départemental Arles antique
Archaeology museum of the City of Arles, housed in a blue building on the site of the Roman circus, with an exceptional Gallo-Roman river barge.
No sound? Check your device’s silent switch.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The people of Arles have taken an interest in their city’s ancient remains since the 16th century, when collectors began gathering coins, inscriptions and sculptures. In 1784, clergy opened the first public antiquities museum in the former necropolis of the Alyscamps. In the 19th century, the excavation of the ancient amphitheatre and theatre greatly enriched the collections, which were then spread across two former churches, including the Jesuit church, where a lapidarium was set up in 1936.
In the 1960s it became clear that a single new museum, built outside the historic centre, was needed to bring the collections together. The site chosen was that of the Roman circus, then still being excavated. From 1983 the architect Henri Ciriani designed a triangular building whose façades are covered with blue panels; the museum opened in 1995 and is run by the Bouches-du-Rhône Departmental Council.
The chronological and thematic route runs from the Neolithic to Late Antiquity. In 2013, an extension was added to house the Gallo-Roman barge Arles-Rhône 3, discovered in the Rhône after the 2003 flood and raised from the water in 2011. The museum also has an archaeological department, a restoration workshop specialising in ancient mosaics and a documentation centre.
Highlights
- Gallo-Roman barge Arles-Rhône 3, displayed in a dedicated wing
- Presumed bust of Julius Caesar and ancient sculptures
- Models of Arles’s Roman monuments, including the circus
- Mosaics, sarcophagi and everyday objects
- Blue building by Henri Ciriani and the Hortus garden in the Roman style
Permanent exhibitions
- Collections permanentes – A route in seven zones, from prehistory to Late Antiquity: Arles before the Romans, the Roman colony, the river port, craftsmanship, daily life, funerary rites and the Christian city.
- Chaland Arles-Rhône 3 – The wreck of a flat-bottomed Roman boat, found in the Rhône and displayed in the wing added to the museum in 2013.
- Jardin Hortus – A garden in the Roman style next to the museum, with a picnic area and a drinking fountain.
- Founded
- 1995
- Operated by
- Département des Bouches-du-Rhône
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Groups of 10 or more, people aged over 65, holders of the Entraide Solidarité 13 card or the large family card, holders of a full-price ticket to the Museon Arlaten or of a ticket to the Salon Provence Prestige |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free admission for under-18s. |
| Seniors | €5Reduced rate from age 65 (over 65). |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree admission for people with disabilities and people with disabling conditions. |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree admission for students. |
| Groups (10+ people) | €5 per personReduced rate for groups of 10 or more; a visiting slot must be booked. |
| Cartula annual subscription (unlimited access to the permanent collections and temporary exhibitions) | €15Free guided tours, invitations to private views and 5% off in the shop. |
| “The museum in 15 masterpieces” guided tour (supplement to admission) | €3Sundays at 15:00, no reservation needed; free for subscribers. |
| Pass Avantage for the monuments of Arles (6 months) | €19Reduced and group rate: €16. Gives access to six monuments, the Musée Réattu and three museums, including this one. |
| Pass Liberté for the monuments of Arles (1 month) | €15Reduced and group rate: €13. Gives access to four monuments, the Musée Réattu and one museum of your choice. |
Free admission: Free admission on the first Sunday of every month.
Also free, on proof: job seekers, RSA recipients, teachers (Pass Éducation), journalists, museum curators, ICOM members, Ministry of Culture staff, tour guides, members of the Amis du Vieil Arles and holders of the Culture du cœur voucher. The Pass monuments arlésiens are sold at the museum ticket desk.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Ramps from the car park to the collections and the auditorium; wheelchairs and seat-sticks lent free of charge; induction loop at reception, in the auditorium and on the audio guides; subtitled films; magnifying glasses at reception; audio guide adapted for visually impaired visitors; five reserved parking spaces. Tactile tours with a model of the barge and tours in French Sign Language are available. The Hortus garden is reached by a ramp. Animals are not allowed, except guide dogs and assistance dogs.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
Arkéofil app on tablet for children from age 6, the “Mon parcours jeux” puzzle booklet (ages 8 to 12), a fabric book for 1- to 3-year-olds and an area for children aged 6 to 14 with books and games. Tours for 3- to 5-year-olds, “Jeux te raconte” tours (ages 6 to 12), family Sundays, workshops and courses during school holidays. Strollers are allowed, baby-changing table in the toilets, bottle warming on request; public garden with play equipment nearby.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Cirque Romain
City bus: line 1 (“Cirque Romain” stop) on weekdays during school term; line 12 at weekends, on public holidays and during school holidays. Arles station is about 20 minutes on foot.
By car
Parking available
Car park for 80 cars, with 5 coach bays and spaces reserved for people with reduced mobility.
- Accessible parking
The museum is on the Presqu’île du Cirque romain, about a 15-minute walk from the Place du Forum and 20 minutes from the amphitheatre. Cycle path from the quays; the free Hopla! bike shuttle does not go as far as the museum.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Lockers
- Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi. Self-service lockers at the entrance. Relaxation area with snack and drinks machines in the hall. Bookshop-boutique. Picnic areas near the museum.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (FR, EN, ES, IT, DE) |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography without flash or tripod is allowed, for strictly personal use. |
| Good to know | Audio guide with 40 tracks, available to hire at reception for €2 (ID required). General guided tour every Sunday at 15:00 (1 hour 30 minutes). Booking is compulsory for groups of 10 or more. Route in seven zones, from the Neolithic to Late Antiquity. |
