Nice 2013: Un Ete pour Matisse

Musee Masena is in a beautiful building which was once the home of the Masena family.

There are several good museums in Nice.  This year they have come together to celebrate Matisse and the 50th anniversary of the Musee Matisse.  "I decided that I will not leave Nice, and I stayed all my life."  He lived here from December 1917, until his death in November 1954.

A palm tree in the front courtyard of the Musee.

Each of eight museums in Nice has a special exhibit to honor Matisse.  The exhibits focus on one aspect of his work.  The Musee Masena, for example,  is set around palm trees.  They show palm trees which Matisse did and palm trees from their own collection.  So you get to see a range of photography, paintings, modern art, and Matisse's paper art, all focusing on palms.

The gardens are lush and contain many types of palm trees; some native, some imports.

We bought a pass to visit all eight over a week's time, for 10 euros.  Photos are not allowed in the exhibits, which is a shame, as the buildings, in some cases, are as amazing as the art work.