Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The archaeological museum of Nice-Cimiez was inaugurated in January 1989, succeeding the first site museum created in 1960 in the Villa des Arenes (now Matisse Museum). Its collections, from the 19th century excavations and acquisitions of the city, trace the history of Cemenelum and the Roman province of the Maritimae Alps. Approximately 1,200 items, either from Cimiez or purchased by collectors, were initially preserved at the Museum of Fine Arts or the Masséna Museum.

The collections cover the ages of metals, antiquity and the high Middle Ages, with objects discovered during excavations from 1950 to 1969 on the municipal site. They also include parts of the area and wrecks such as the Fourmigue C off Gulf-Juan. The museum is enriched by donations, bequests and purchases since 1880, illustrating the Mediterranean civilizations before the Roman conquest.

The archaeological site of nearly two hectares consists of three thermal complexes, streets, a residential area and a paleo-Christian complex (Cathedral and Baptistery) dating from the fifth century. These remains bear witness to urban life after the partial abandonment of Cemenelum. The museum trail highlights the historical evolution of the neighbourhood and its role in the region.

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