Museum Jean Cocteau

Captivating French artist
Located right on the waterfront, this museum is dedicated to French artist and writer Jean Cocteau (1889-1963).

Jean Cocteau was an influential figure on the European art scene for decades and was closely linked to the Riviera and Menton.

The museum building is iconic and designed by French architect Rudy Ricciotti, who also designed the MUCEM museum in Marseilles.

The 20,000 square meter building took eight years to construct and the museum has been open to the public since 2011.

The architecture is clearly inspired by the sea, giving the interior of the museum light and protection from the strong sun that shines more in Menton than anywhere else in France.

Exhibition, library and café
The interior of the museum is column-free and divided into seven areas. It contains 1000 works by Cocteau, many of which were donated by Severin Wunderbaum, a private collector with a great love for Cocteau’s works. In addition, there are also temporary exhibitions mainly by artists inspired by Cocteau.

The museum also includes a library, a children’s workshop and a café.

By Tommy Sverre / 2020