Journées Européennes du Patrimoine au Musée d'Histoire de Marseille - (MHM)

Join us at the Marseille History Museum (MHM) for the European Heritage Days on Saturday 19 and Sunday 210 September. For their 43rd edition, the European Heritage Days will take place on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026, under the theme “The Heritage of Photography”. The program includes guided tours, workshops, exhibitions, ... All events are free. ► Exhibitions ˃ Around the permanent collections Self-guided tour of the Marseille History Museum's permanent collections. 13 chronological sections, each introduced by a landmark object emblematic of the city, chart the Marseille History Museum's path from the earliest prehistoric settlements to contemporary urban development. They unfold along a guiding thread centered on the history of the port, around the Bourse archaeological site, a true open-air gallery. ˃ Exhibition “Around Mars Imperium” – The statues on the stairways of Saint-Charles Station Section 12 The Mars Imperium project was born from the observation of a lack of history concerning colonial Marseille and its present-day traces. Samia Chabani, director of the Ancrages association, presents the Marsimperium.org web portal, particularly its first section, entitled Marseille, Empire Metropolis, for which she curated the exhibition “The statues on the stairways of Saint-Charles Station”. We continue the discussion with a walk to the foot of the Saint-Charles steps to explore how Marseille's colonial past marks the urban landscape. Saturday, September 19 at 2 p.m. In front of the museum ticket desk Reservation required: direction@ancrages.org ► Tours ˃ Guided tour “The Ancient Port of Marseille” From the arrival of the first Phocaeans to the height of the Roman Empire, Marseille was a port of fishermen and merchants. The ancient port of Marseille, a precious witness to the city's architecture, reveals this history and that of Marseillais of the past. Saturday, September 19 at 2:30, 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. Ages 13 and up Duration: 30 min ˃ Guided tour “Marseille in the Middle Ages” In the Middle Ages, Marseille was at once a border city of the new empires, a place crossed by “barbarian” conquests and a crusade port... Its exchanges with the Mediterranean kingdoms changed its image and reputation over time. Sunday, September 20 at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Ages 13 and up Duration: 30 min ˃ Guided tour “Marseille in a History of French Imperialism” Presentation of the memorial and museum issues connected with the history of imperialism and colonization in Marseille (17th–20th centuries) within the Marseille History Museum. Sunday, September 20 at 2:30 p.m. Ages 13 and up ► Children's workshops Registration on the day, subject to availability. ˃ The Ancient World in Mosaic Travel back in time to Ancient Rome to discover the fascinating art of mosaic! Like Roman artisans, you can assemble small colored tesserae to create a design inspired by ancient motifs: animals, gods, scenes from everyday life… Sunday, September 20 at 10:30 a.m. Ages 7 and up, accompanied by a parent ˃​​​​​​​ Behind the Masks The history of the mask is very ancient. An emblematic accessory displayed in theater since antiquity, come and discover the museum's Roman masks, then make a clay magnet that reproduces one in miniature. Sunday, September 20 at 2 p.m. Ages 7 and up, accompanied by a parent Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes ► Heritage Dictation – 7th edition Take part in an original dictation about the history and heritage of Marseille and try to win books about Marseille! In partnership with the Comité du Vieux Marseille. Saturday, September 19 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Meeting point: Marseille History Museum Auditorium ► Talk “The Galley Arsenal under Louis XIV in Marseille” A focus on the Galley Arsenal, planned in 1666 on the orders of Louis XIV. A city within the city and a major enterprise for building, maintaining and arming Louis XIV's warships, the Marseille arsenal closed in 1748. Talk presented by Carole Gragez, curator at the Marseille History Museum. Saturday, September 19 from 2:30 to 5 p.m., continuously Ages 13 and up ► Events around the exhibition “Marseille Seen by the Detaille Family, 164 Years of Photography” ˃​​​​​​​ Self-guided exhibition visit Fernand, Albert and Gérard Detaille, photographers and heirs to Nadar, created an exceptional body of work documenting life in Marseille, its heritage and its transformations. A unique journey through Marseille's visual history, from 1860 to the present day. > Traveling silver-photography demonstration – La Photo Sensible Association Echoing the exhibition devoted to the Detaille family, heirs to the Marseille studio founded by Félix Nadar, this workshop returns to the origins of the image through a traveling setup inspired by popular practices of the late 19th century. Using a century-old camera that also serves as a laboratory, participants discover live every stage of making a portrait: taking the photograph, developing the negative and making a positive print. This experience provides a better understanding of the gestures, techniques and practices of photographers of the period before participants leave with their own silver photograph. Saturday, September 19 from 2 to 5 p.m. All audiences – accessibility for people with reduced mobility Price: free, no reservation, subject to availability ˃​​​​​​​ Talk about the exhibition Discover the exhibition “Marseille Seen by the Detaille Family, 164 Years of Photography” in the presence of Gérard Detaille, photographer and exhibition curator. Saturday, September 19 from 2:30 to 5 p.m. ˃​​​​​​​ Guided tour “Marseille Seen by the Detaille Family” The photographs in the Detaille exhibition reveal the urban transformations of the city of Marseille in the 19th and 20th centuries. Sunday, September 20