This grand Marseille monument houses two institutions: the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Natural History Museum. It also hosts a botanical garden. The garden used to be a zoo in the 19th century, and buildings from that time still survive. There are many places to picnic and a number of playgrounds. The people of the city frequently escape to this park for some respite from the summer heat. Behind the palace there is an observatory – it contains Foucault's enormous historic telescope - once the largest in the world - dating from 1864.

The museum of natural history in the left wing of the palace here is dedicated to prehistory and evolution, skulls and skeletons, the animals and plants of Provence, and a room full of about 300 stuffed animals.

In the right wing of this palace is the Museum of fine arts which houses an excellent collection of European and Provencal paintings.

In July, the famous Marseille Jazz des Cinq Continents festival is held here.

• Most of the signage and instructions in the natural history Museum are in French.
• There are a lot of steps going up the Museum of Fine Arts.

The Natural History Museum:

• EUR 8 for adults.
• Free until 1:00 PM on Sunday.
• Free for under age of 18.

The Museum of Fine Arts:

• Free entry on the first Sunday of every month.
• Free for under age of 18.

No entry fee for garden.

Museum Timings:

• Tuesday to Sunday: 10:00am to 6:00pm
• Closed on Monday (except Easter Monday), January 1, May 1, November 1, December 25 and 26.

• Metro line 1 stop: Cinq Avenues Longchamp
• Tram line 2 stop: Cinq Avenues Longchamp
• Bus 81 stop: Cinq Avenues Longchamp

• Le Square Bar
• Brasseriel'Actuel

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