Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations

The focus of the museum is on the history and culture of European and Mediterranean civilizations. Its permanent collection showcases the cross-pollination of ideas and customs in the Mediterranean region, taking an interdisciplinary approach to society from ancient times to the present day.

Located at the harbor entrance, the museum sits on reclaimed land adjacent to the 17th-century Fort Saint-Jean and a former port terminal known as the J4. A channel separates the new building from the Fort Saint-Jean, which has been renovated as part of the project. The two sites are connected by a 130-meter-long footbridge, and another footbridge links the Fort Saint-Jean to the Esplanade de la Tourette in the Panier quarter near the church of St. Laurent.

The museum was designed by architects Rudy Ricciotti and Roland Carta, who used "stone, water, and wind" as their inspiration. The building is a 15,000-square-meter cube with a latticework shell made of fiber-reinforced concrete. The museum has two levels of exhibits and a 400-seat underground auditorium. The permanent collection and bookshop are located on the ground floor, and there is a restaurant on the top terrace with stunning views of Marseille's bay, the Corniche, and the Prado.