Musée de la Romanité

Here you are in front of the Museum of Roman History, the Musée de la Romanité, facing the Arena. Opened on 2 June 2018, it was designed by the architect Elizabeth de Portzamparc. Look at its façade: a pleated glass drape whose blades recall a mosaic, answering the stone arches of the amphitheatre. The museum tells twenty-five centuries of history through around 5,000 objects and 65 multimedia displays. Its masterpieces are two large Roman mosaics discovered in Nîmes in 2006 and 2007: the Pentheus mosaic and the Bellerophon mosaic, considered among the finest after those of Pompeii. You will also see architectural remains, reconstructions of villas, statues and everyday objects. Do not miss the Mediterranean garden, which preserves a stretch of rampart from the seventh and sixth centuries BC, nor the panoramic rooftop terrace, with its 360-degree view over the city’s monuments. The museum holds the Musée de France label. It is open every day.

History

The Museum of Roman History opened its doors on 2 June 2018, facing the Arena, at 16 boulevard des Arènes. It holds the Musée de France designation. In 2019 it already welcomed 221,928 visitors. It presents twenty-five centuries of the history of Nîmes through the city’s archaeological collections.

Art and architecture

The architect Elizabeth de Portzamparc won the competition with a building wrapped in a cloak of pleated glass, whose blades recall a mosaic. This contemporary drape answers the stone mass of the Arena.

The collections number around 5,000 objects. The two highlights are the Pentheus mosaic and the Bellerophon mosaic, uncovered in 2006 and 2007, judged among the finest after those of Pompeii.

Anecdotes

The Mediterranean garden incorporates archaeological remains, including a rampart from the seventh and sixth centuries BC, long before Roman Nîmes. On the second floor, a restaurant was created by the Michelin-starred chef Franck Putelat.

What to look for

Take your time in front of the Pentheus and Bellerophon mosaics, and look at the delicacy of the tesserae. Try some of the 65 multimedia displays, a few of which use augmented reality. Finish with the rooftop terrace, from which you can see the Arena up close, then the garden and its pre-Roman rampart.

Practical

The museum is open every day from 10 am to 7 pm, with last admission at 6 pm. Admission is free on the first Sunday of each month, except in July and August. The rooftop terrace is closed for maintenance from 5 to 8 October 2026 (official website, checked on 6 October 2026). Prices are on museedelaromanite.fr. Allow at least an hour and a half.

Nearby

The Arena is just opposite. Until 10 January 2027, the museum is showing the exhibition Roman Art from the Louvre, a World of Images. To round things off, go up to the Maison Carrée and the Tour Magne, or follow the trail of Roman water to the castellum on rue de la Lampèze.

Test yourself

Sources

• Wikipedia: Musée de la Romanité de Nîmes
• Official website: Musée de la Romanité

Information checked on 6 October 2026.