One hundred years ago to the day, on January 28, 1921, the mayor of Nice, Honoré Sauvan, inaugurated the Musée Masséna, which became the property of the City following the donation of Victor Masséna, Prince of Essling. On the occasion of its centenary anniversary, the cultural platform of the City of Nice (cultivez-vous.nice.fr) offers the opportunity to discover or rediscover its history, which is closely linked to the Second Empire.
100 years, you can hear it! On January 28, 1921, the inauguration of the famous Musée Masséna took place. A century later, this institution, embedded in the hearts of the people of Nice, contributes to the knowledge, research, and dissemination of the history of Nice and the Côte d’Azur by making its collections accessible to the general public and by preserving and enriching them for future generations.
100 Years of Exhibitions, 100 Years of History
The Chapsal donation room of the museum before renovation in 2008.
A treasure of Nice’s heritage, the Musée Masséna was inaugurated in the presence of all the notable personalities of the time. This “Carnavalet of Nice”, as journalists liked to call it, is housed in the sumptuous residence linked to Marshal of the Empire André Masséna, built by his grandson Victor Masséna, Prince of Essling, at the end of the 19th century. This event was made possible thanks to the generosity of his son and heir, who wanted to make it a Museum of Art and History of the City of Nice. For a hundred years, this remarkable building has been committed to reviving the Belle Époque of Nice through its scientific project. These goals are achieved by the diversity of temporary exhibitions and the richness of collections ranging from the Revolution to the Roaring Twenties.
From its inception, the Musée Masséna received significant general donations. In 1923, porcelains offered by Edouard Porcher-Labreuil and jewelry bequeathed by Georges Chapsal. In 1926, weapons, armor, and carved wood gathered by Félix Joubert. In 1929, the donation by antiquarian Edouard Larcade enabled the reorganization of the room of the primitives of Nice. In 1935, the museum received sculptures by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux offered by his family. These donations have never stopped.
Following its reopening in 2008, new generous donors such as the Société des Amis de Nice, Jean-Pierre Martin, son of the painter Charles-Martin Sauvaigo, Bruno de Cessole, a descendant of the Nice family of Spitalieri de Cessole, Olivier Lai, son of the composer Francis Lai, Jean-François Carenco for the Joseph Saqui donation (director of municipal museums), François Daure for the Barety donation… have enriched the collections.
The Joubert donation room of the museum
The Musée Masséna Celebrates Its Centennial on Social Networks
The mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi (pictured here on the left), reminds us of how this historic building carries the Niçois symbol through its past and the many ancient treasures housed there.
“On this January 28, 2021, we celebrate the centennial of the Musée Masséna, inaugurated in 1921 by the mayor of Nice, Honoré Sauvan. Built on the Promenade des Anglais between 1898 and 1901, the Musée Masséna is part of these true treasures of our Niçois heritage to which we are proud to belong. For one hundred years, it has contributed to the knowledge, research, and dissemination of the history of Nice, from its union with France to the end of the Belle Époque. Among other things, the death mask of Napoleon I, Josephine’s diadem in mother-of-pearl, gold, pearls, and colored stones offered by Murat to the Empress, and the book written by Prefect Liegeard are presented. Throughout this anniversary week, discover the beautiful history of our Musée Masséna on the city’s social networks and the cultural platform cultivez-vous.nice.fr.”
To celebrate the event, the president of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis invites residents to attend online exhibitions and visits:
- 100 Years of Exhibitions: A spotlight on the activities of the Musée Masséna since its inauguration.
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Podcast Series: A look back at people and events that have marked the history of the city: the Mission of Virginia de Castiglione, François and Clorine Malausséna, The de Cessoles Mathilde and Mathilde, the arrival of the train in Nice, and the year 1864, the year of the two emperors.
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Conference: Listen to Olivier Ghebali, delegate of Nice Alpes-Maritimes of the Souvenir Napoléonien, discuss the annexation of the County of Nice to France.
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Video Focus “Treasures of Nice”: The portraits of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie.
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Exhibition Catalogue: In 2020, the Musée Masséna offered an exhibition entitled “Nice and the Second Empire – The Journey of Napoleon III and Eugénie in 1860.”
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Visit the Exhibition “Nice and the Second Empire” alongside Jean-Pierre Barbero and Muriel Mayette-Holtz.
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Mobile App: Musée Masséna (available for download).
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Video: Private tour of the Musée Masséna.
