Arles and Provence Antiques Museum, Arles, France

The Musée départemental Arles antique is an archeological museum housed in a modern building designed and built in 1995 by the architect Henri Ciriani. The museum houses a large collection of antiquities, including monumental Roman sculptures from the local region. Among the exhibits is a model of the multiple overshot water mills which existed at Barbegal, and have been referred to as 'the greatest known concentration of mechanical power in the ancient world'. The Arles Rhône 3, an ancient Roman boat discovered in 2011, is on display since 2013.

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Museums in France

User Reviews

Arni Sholihah (19 months ago)
If you're student, you're lucky. It's free entry for student here.

Marie Khan (19 months ago)
Nice simple museum which was not crowded so can take your time to visit. Good way to get a historical overview of this specific city and region.

Dom Andrews (2 years ago)
Beautifully curated and laid out. My favourite area was the ship raised from the bottom of the Rhone together with all the amazing artefacts found in the silt - glassware, jewellery, amphorae etc. Also loved the spaciousness of the exhibition that allowed you to wander among the exhibits and gasp in awe. Another highlight is the museum garden that houses loads of information about the Roman attitude to gardening and outdoor leisure.

M A Swaddle (2 years ago)
Magnificent. A museum not to be missed showing to Roman history of Arles. Well curated and displayed delightfully with enough information plus very knowledgeable staff, keen to assist, throughout. Plenty parking and we'll worth the detour out of the town.

Phillip Spencer (2 years ago)
An absolutely superb museum, we were fascinated by the range and type of exhibits, which are well laid out and with clear information. The Roman boat, recovered from the mud of the river Rhone nearby was a particular favourite. There are also well-reconstructed mosaics and a huge number of sarcophagi The building is modern and spacious, so even though we were on a day when entry was free we did not feel crowded. Highly recommended to anyone who is even remotely interested in the times around the Roman period in Provence.

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The Old Town Hall of Wrocław is one of the main landmarks of the city. The Old Town Hall's long history reflects developments that have taken place in the city since its initial construction. The town hall serves the city of Wroclaw and is used for civic and cultural events such as concerts held in its Great Hall. In addition, it houses a museum and a basement restaurant.

The town hall was developed over a period of about 250 years, from the end of 13th century to the middle of 16th century. The structure and floor plan changed over this extended period in response to the changing needs of the city. The exact date of the initial construction is not known. However, between 1299 and 1301 a single-storey structure with cellars and a tower called the consistory was built. The oldest parts of the current building, the Burghers’ Hall and the lower floors of the tower, may date to this time. In these early days the primary purpose of the building was trade rather than civic administration activities.

Between 1328 and 1333 an upper storey was added to include the Council room and the Aldermen’s room. Expansion continued during the 14th century with the addition of extra rooms, most notably the Court room. The building became a key location for the city’s commercial and administrative functions.

The 15th and 16th centuries were times of prosperity for Wroclaw as was reflected in the rapid development of the building during that period. The construction program gathered momentum, particularly from 1470 to 1510, when several rooms were added. The Burghers’ Hall was re-vaulted to take on its current shape, and the upper story began to take shape with the development of the Great Hall and the addition of the Treasury and Little Treasury.

Further innovations during the 16th century included the addition of the city’s Coat of arms (1536), and the rebuilding of the upper part of the tower (1558–59). This was the final stage of the main building program. By 1560, the major features of today’s Stray Rates were established.

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