Mucem and Cosquer Méditerranée: which tickets and how much time
5 min read
The answer first. The Mucem skip-the-line ticket from €11 is the straightforward way into the museum. Add the Cosquer cave ticket for a replica of the prehistoric painted cave on the same esplanade. For planning: the Mucem is closed on Tuesdays, while Cosquer Méditerranée opens every day.
Check availability and prices for the Mucem skip-the-line ticket
The Mucem ticket
The ticket gives access to the Museum of the Civilisations of Europe and the Mediterranean and all its exhibitions, without the ticket queue. The building by Rudy Ricciotti opened in June 2013 and the corridors give views over the Old Port and the sea. An audio guide is available if you select that option: in French, English, Spanish, Italian and German for the three outdoor exhibitions, and in French and English for the two indoor ones. The page advises arriving before 1 p.m. for the best visiting conditions of the exhibitions.
Two money rules are on the page: entry is free for under-18s with valid ID, free on the first Sunday of every month and during European Heritage Days (the third weekend of September). Check the museum’s official hours and prices as well, because they change with the season. How long a visit takes depends on what you want to see; leave enough time if you also want the exhibitions and Fort Saint-Jean.
The combined ticket with Le Panier
The Mucem fast-track ticket with Le Panier audio tour adds an audio tour of the old district with 18 points of interest, including the Maison Diamantée and the Hôtel Dieu, and access to Fort Saint-Jean. The page says the museum is open Wednesday to Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with last entry 45 minutes before closing, and lists longer summer hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in May, June, September and October and to 8 p.m. in July and August. The audio commentary is in English, French, Spanish and German.
The Cosquer cave replica
The Cosquer Méditerranée ticket with audio guide lasts 2 hours. You walk along a floating walkway, descend into the recreated cave and ride in an exploratory vehicle past the prehistoric paintings. The audio guide covers six languages, and the ticket includes a digital city tour with an app. Children under 3 cannot take the vehicle ride through the cave, according to Cosquer Méditerranée; the ticket page says 3 and under, so check before booking for a three-year-old. The ticket is non-refundable. The page gives these hours: Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and every day 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. in July and August.
| Ticket | Time | From | Rating | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mucem skip-the-line | – | €11 | 4.3 stars, 717 reviews | Tuesdays |
| Mucem and Le Panier audio tour | 1 day valid | €12 | 4.2 stars, 16 reviews | Tuesdays (open Wed – Mon) |
| Cosquer Méditerranée | 2 hours | €22.32 | 4.5 stars, 209 reviews | open daily |
If you have a CityPass
The CityPass includes one Mucem entry and a choice between an island boat trip and the Cosquer cave; using one removes the other. Buy single tickets if you want both Mucem and Cosquer in one stay.
Our recommendation
Visit the Mucem in the morning on any day but Tuesday and keep Tuesday for the Cosquer cave, which opens every day, Tuesdays included. Buy the Le Panier combination only if you want the old-town audio tour as well. Both are on the Esplanade J4, so you can do them one after the other. More tickets are in tickets and attractions in Marseille.
