Musée des explorations du monde

A larger-than-expected museum with many interesting exotic exhibitions. It also has a tower that has a stunning 360 view of Cannes

Charming small museum housed in a small medieval tower with great panoramic views of Cannes. The ethnographic and archaeological collections are interesting but limited in depth. Worth visiting if you are in the area for the view and to explore Le Suquet, but not a destination museum. Best suited for a quick cultural stop.

Best view in Cannes!! Don't stop where the most tourists will!. Enter inside the museum, enjoy exploring and finish with the BEST view in Cannes. 😉

Nestled in the heart of Cannes, the Musée des Explorations du Monde offers breathtaking views that make the journey to the top absolutely worth it. From its vantage point, visitors are rewarded with panoramic scenery stretching across the city and the Mediterranean, creating an unforgettable backdrop. However, reaching those stunning sights comes with a bit of effort—there are quite a few stairs and small spaces to tackle along the way. While the climb adds to the adventure, it’s something to keep in mind for those who prefer an easier stroll. Despite the trek, the rich history and striking views make this museum a must-visit for anyone eager to explore Cannes from a unique perspective.

Best place to visit for great view of Cannes. I love it

Arrived a few minutes before 4:30 pm and tried to buy a ticket but was told by the front desk that I could not enter even though last admission was at 4:30 pm. When asked about this discrepancy, the front desk person rudely told me to come back on Tuesday instead, stating that the museum was “very busy” despite there not being many people. Don’t bother visiting I guess.

Tucked into the heart of Cannes, this little gem of a museum only costs 4.5€, and in just 10–15 minutes, it whisks you through four compact rooms full of tribal and pre-Colombian treasures. Not for everyone, but if you’re the kind of traveler who slows down at masks, maps, and ancient myths, it’s absolutely worth the stop. Think of it as a bite-sized adventure before your next gelato. 🎭

Entrance is €6.50, and the staff are very nice. The museum is small, probably taking 20 minutes. The tower in the middle is a great view of the city, and the main reason to go to the museum. There are English explanations on cards in most of the rooms.

The museum is quite small, but well laid out and maintained. Like another review mentioned, the ticket price (€6.50 as of January 2024) is well worth it to climb atop the tower for an amazing 360 panoramic view of Cannes, the city, port, ocean and Alps in the North. Since Cannes is much more devoid of tourists during off-peak season, and also not particularly known for its museums, it was lovely to enjoy the tower and most of the museum by myself on a brisk sunny weekday morning. Most of the exhibits center around ethnographic findings from French explorers in the 19th century, including articles and artifacts from Oceania, Africa, and the Mediterranean. Currently another exhibition towards the back few rooms showcases paintings following Nice through its development from fishing town to bustling port city. Note the tower requires climbing up a rather steep set of stairs to a small (maybe 8x8 foot area) on top which aside from the wall of the tower doesn't have any other railing or enclosure. So not recommended for little children unless they're strapped to you. Aside from stairs there's no other access so a) if you have a mobile disability it will not be accessible, b) the staircase is quite narrow inside and because the steps are wooden planks, you can see between each step, which may make it challenging for those with a fear of heights. Separately since part of the stairs run outside the tower, and the top of the tower is not covered, if there is inclement weather access to the top may be restricted.

Our first stop in Cannes was to hike up the hill to Musee de la Castre, or Castre Museum. The museum is located in the ruins of an old medieval castle that belong to the monks of Lérins. It now hosts collections belong to the city of Cannes with primitive arts from the Himalayas, Tibet, the Artic, pre-Columbian America, Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean. The museum has a medieval tower that offers a 360 degree view - if you want to climb 109 steps! In my humble opinion, it really is worth it, even for those of us who don't like heights! I think we paid about 12€ each to go into the museum, which I think, for the view alone, was worth it. The museum is pretty small, so I wouldn't allocate more than an hour to it - unless you're a really, really big history buff and can understand French. All the info was in French, so it made it a bit hard for us to really enjoy it as much as I would've another museum. Still, it was nice to walk around and take a look at the historical artifacts that they had on display.

If you're into sightseeing or photography then the 7€ admission might be worth it just to get to the top of the castle for the 360 view of Cannes. Stopped here while in port for a cruise and was able to get great aerial photos of the marina and cruise ship. As for the museum itself, it's not a museum of any local history but a collection of things from around the world. If you're into that stuff then you'll love it but I mainly came for the view. Just a note, they'll make you check any bags at the front desk when you enter but didn't give me a problem taking my DSLR camera.