Villa Tamaris
Art center of the TPM Métropole, housed in a large 19th-century villa in La Seyne-sur-Mer and dedicated to contemporary creation.
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About the museum
The Villa Tamaris is part of the seaside resort project of Michel Pacha (1819–1907), a merchant navy captain who became director general of lighthouses of the Ottoman Empire. In the 1880s, he decided to create at Tamaris, a district of La Seyne, a holiday resort with some fifty villas surrounded by parks of exotic trees, served by a sea link to Toulon.
The villa, called “la grande maison” in oral tradition, covers 3,700 m² and resembles a palace more than a seaside villa. Michel Pacha is said to have had it built for his first wife and to have halted the work in 1893 after her death. Left unfinished, it was restored in 1991 by the City of La Seyne-sur-Mer and became an art center in 1995. In December 2003 it was transferred to the TPM urban community, now the Métropole, as a reference site for the visual arts.
The art center first presented contemporary painting, drawing on the Figuration narrative, the Jeune Peinture and the Nouvelle Figuration, then opened to all fields of creation, particularly photography and the image. Since 2003, the Métropole has built up a collection of about 750 works, enriched by donations from artists. The villa also hosts artist residencies.
Highlights
- Large villa of 3,700 m² built on the initiative of Michel Pacha
- Exhibitions of contemporary art, photography and the image
- Collection of about 750 works of the Métropole
- Artist residencies
- Free admission and free guided tours
- Founded
- 1995
- Operated by
- Métropole Toulon Provence Méditerranée
- Visitors per year
- approx. 57,010
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Free admission. Guided tours for adults are also free.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Parking spaces adapted for people with reduced mobility are located near the villa.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Tamaris
Boat: line 18M from the port of Toulon (Tamaris stop); line 8M from the port of La Seyne-sur-Mer (Tamaris stop). Bus: no. 83 (Tamaris stop) and no. 81 (Fort Napoléon stop).
By car
Free parking
Free parking around the Villa Tamaris, with spaces for people with reduced mobility nearby.
- Accessible parking
From the Tamaris stop pontoon, turn left onto avenue Thierry and follow the sign “Villa Tamaris”.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Mediation sessions for adults on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 09:30 to 12:00, by appointment. Workshops on Saturdays from 10:00 to 12:00, by reservation only at +33 4 94 06 84 00. Custom programs for pupils from nursery school to high school, and for students, by appointment. |
