When people think of Montpellier, they often imagine sunlit squares, lively student bars, and the grand Place de la Comédie with its buzzing cafés. But to me, the city revealed itself most fully through its museums — places where history, science, art, and local identity converge. I’ve visited museums all across Europe, but Montpellier surprised me. It felt like discovering a box of hidden treasures, each museum shining with a different facet of the city.
I spent several weeks here, and among the many cultural sites, four museums stayed with me so vividly that I still think about them today: Musée Fabre, MO.CO. Hôtel des Collections, Musée Atger, and Planet Ocean Montpellier. They aren’t just stops on a tourist map. They’re immersive worlds where I found myself laughing, reflecting, learning, and sometimes just standing in awe.
I’ll take you with me — museum by museum — and share my favorite pieces, the ones I’d recommend, and all the practical tips you need: ticket prices, discounts, how to get there, booking platforms, and even the quirks of each place.
Musée Fabre – Montpellier’s Crown Jewel of Fine Arts
📍 Address: 39 Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, 34000 Montpellier
🕒 Opening hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm (closed Mondays)
💶 Tickets: €9 full price, €6 reduced (students, seniors), free on the first Sunday of each month
I’ve visited many fine arts museums — from the Prado in Madrid to the Musée d’Orsay in Paris — and Montpellier’s Musée Fabre genuinely holds its own. The museum sits in a beautiful 18th-century building, but its galleries are spacious and modernized, making the art feel accessible, not dusty.
Walking inside, I was hit by that hushed reverence that only great art can inspire. Light pours in through high windows, illuminating works by masters of the French, Dutch, Italian, and Spanish schools.
My Three Favorite Works at Musée Fabre
- “The Painter’s Studio” by Gustave Courbet
o Courbet was a revolutionary realist painter, and this massive canvas was overwhelming. Standing before it, I felt pulled into the artist’s world — with himself at the center, surrounded by friends, critics, and allegorical figures. It wasn’t just a painting; it felt like a statement about art itself. - “Apollo and Daphne” by François-Xavier Fabre
o The founder of the museum, Fabre, left behind an incredible legacy. This painting, with its mythological subject, captured a sense of movement and passion. The way Daphne’s fingers turn into leaves made me shiver. - Soulages’ “Outrenoir” Paintings
o I had read about Pierre Soulages, the French master of black, but seeing his works up close was hypnotic. His textured black canvases reflected light in unexpected ways. I stood there for 15 minutes just watching how the surface changed as I shifted position.
Three Works I Recommend You Don’t Miss - Delacroix’s “Jacob Wrestling with the Angel” – full of dynamism and raw emotion.
- Rubens’ “The Holy Family with Saint John” – a luminous Baroque masterpiece.
- Ingres’ drawings – delicate lines that reveal why he’s still regarded as one of the greatest draftsmen.
My Experience
I spent four hours here and still didn’t see everything. What struck me most was how approachable the museum felt. The curators have created a balance between old masters and modern pieces that make you feel like you’re walking through an evolving story of art.
Pros and Cons
✔ Huge, diverse collection
✔ Reasonably priced tickets and free Sundays
✘ Can feel overwhelming — plan to focus on sections
Getting There
From Gare Saint-Roch (main train station), I took Tram Line 1 (blue) toward Mosson and got off at Comédie. From there, it was a 5-minute walk.
Booking Tips
• Tickets can be purchased on-site, but I used billetto.fr in advance to skip queues.
• If you’re under 26 and an EU resident, entry is often free (check conditions).
MO.CO. Hôtel des Collections – A Global Art Playground
📍 Address: 13 Rue de la République, 34000 Montpellier
🕒 Opening hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 11 am – 7 pm
💶 Tickets: €5–€8 depending on exhibition, free for students under 26
The MO.CO. (Montpellier Contemporain) isn’t just a museum. It’s a whole ecosystem of contemporary art spread across the city, including MO.CO. Panacée and the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts. But the Hôtel des Collections, housed in a former mansion, is its flagship.
What makes this museum fascinating is that it doesn’t have a permanent collection. Instead, it stages exhibitions drawn from private collections around the world. That means every visit is a unique surprise.
My Three Favorite Works at MO.CO.
- Shirin Neshat’s Video Installation
o Projected on two opposite walls, it showed men and women in Iran singing separately. It was haunting, political, and poetic. I felt goosebumps — the room seemed to vibrate with unspoken tension. - A Yayoi Kusama Infinity Mirror Room
o I stepped into a mirrored space filled with tiny lights. It was like floating in a galaxy. I laughed out loud, and for a moment, forgot about time. - Sophie Calle’s Photographic Works
o Calle’s art is intimate and playful, mixing photos with text. Reading her reflections on love and absence made me feel like I was peeking into someone’s diary.
Three Works I Recommend
Of course, the exhibitions change, but when I visited, I’d recommend: - Ai Weiwei’s sculptures – powerful, politically charged.
- David Hockney prints – colorful, playful, full of life.
- Local Montpellier artists’ work – always check the smaller rooms; they spotlight local voices.
My Experience
This museum made me feel alive. Contemporary art can sometimes be cold or abstract, but here, the curation felt playful, engaging, and global. It was like being part of a conversation that spanned continents.
Pros and Cons
✔ Ever-changing exhibitions mean fresh experiences
✔ Affordable tickets
✘ If you dislike contemporary art, you might feel lost
Getting There
From Place de la Comédie, it’s a 10-minute walk down Rue de la République. The building itself is gorgeous, with a courtyard that’s perfect for coffee afterwards.
Booking Tips
• I booked through moco.art (the official site).
• Check their calendar; exhibitions rotate every few months.
Musée Atger – A Hidden Gem for Drawing Lovers
📍 Address: Faculté de Médecine, 2 Rue de l’École de Médecine, Montpellier
🕒 Opening hours: Monday–Friday, 1 pm – 5 pm (closed weekends)
💶 Tickets: Free entry
If Musée Fabre is Montpellier’s star, Musée Atger is its secret garden. Housed inside the oldest medical school in the Western world, it’s often overlooked by casual tourists. But as someone who loves drawings and graphic arts, this place blew me away.
My Three Favorite Works at Musée Atger
- Italian Renaissance Sketches
o Delicate studies of anatomy, angels, and drapery. They made me think about how knowledge and art intersected in the Renaissance. - Dutch Landscapes
o Tiny ink drawings of canals and windmills, intimate and precise. I felt like I was walking through 17th-century Holland. - French Rococo Studies
o Light, playful sketches of mythological scenes. They had a joyfulness that felt contagious.
Three Works I Recommend - Preparatory sketches by Ingres – showing the artist’s thought process.
- Architectural studies – fascinating if you like urban history.
- Medical illustrations – a reminder of the museum’s academic setting.
My Experience
I almost had the museum to myself. It felt like sneaking into a scholar’s private collection. The smell of old books and paper filled the air. Unlike the grandeur of Musée Fabre, this was intimate, almost fragile.
Pros and Cons
✔ Free entry
✔ Rare, delicate works
✘ Very limited opening hours
✘ Small collection (can be seen in 1–2 hours)
Getting There
Take Tram Line 1 or 4 to Louis Blanc. The museum is inside the Faculty of Medicine building, next to the Jardin des Plantes.
Booking Tips
• No need to book; just show up.
• Because it’s inside the university, bring an ID if asked at the entrance.
Planet Ocean Montpellier – Science, Wonder, and Kids’ Smiles
📍 Address: Allée Ulysse, Odysseum Shopping Center, Montpellier
🕒 Opening hours: Daily, 10 am – 7 pm (last entry 5:30 pm)
💶 Tickets: Adults €19.50, children €13.50, online discounts available
Okay, I’ll admit it: this one isn’t a traditional museum. It’s an aquarium and planetarium rolled into one, located in the futuristic Odysseum district. But for me, museums are about learning and wonder, and Planet Ocean had both.
My Three Favorite Exhibits at Planet Ocean
- The Shark Tunnel
o Walking under giant sharks gliding above me was thrilling. My heart raced every time one brushed past the glass. - The Coral Reef Room
o A kaleidoscope of tropical fish, corals, and anemones. I could have stared for hours. - The Planetarium Show
o Lying back in a reclining seat, watching stars swirl across the dome, I felt like a child again.
Three Exhibits I Recommend - Penguin habitat – kids love it, but I laughed watching their clumsy dives.
- Amazonian section – crocodiles, piranhas, lush greenery.
- Interactive touch pools – gently stroke a starfish!
My Experience
This museum made me giddy. It’s family-friendly, but as an adult, I had just as much fun. The blend of ocean life and astronomy gave me a sense of our planet’s interconnectedness.
Pros and Cons
✔ Fun, interactive, perfect for families
✔ Combined aquarium and planetarium experience
✘ Expensive compared to others
✘ Can get crowded on weekends
Getting There
Take Tram Line 1 (blue) toward Odysseum. The museum is right by the shopping center, a 20-minute ride from the city center.
Booking Tips
• Buy tickets online at planetoceanworld.fr for discounts and to skip the line.
• Combo tickets with other Odysseum attractions (like the ice rink) are available.
Why Montpellier’s Museums Matter
By the time I left Montpellier, I realized something: the city doesn’t just preserve history or showcase art. It curates experiences that stay with you long after you leave.
• At Musée Fabre, I felt humbled by centuries of artistic genius.
• At MO.CO., I laughed, puzzled, and sometimes cried in front of art that spoke to today’s world.
• At Musée Atger, I felt like I’d uncovered a scholar’s secret trove.
• At Planet Ocean, I became a child again, gasping at sharks and stars.
What ties them together is the spirit of Montpellier itself — young, daring, intellectual, and deeply proud of its heritage.
If you’re planning a trip, don’t just tick off the main tourist attractions. Let these museums take you deeper. Book your tickets ahead, check for discounts, and give yourself the time to wander slowly. I promise: you’ll leave not just entertained but enriched.