“La Vieille Charité” Cultural Center

The Centre de la Vieille Charité, a jewel of Le Panier

At the end of the Place des Pistoles, the Centre de la Vieille Charité stands out as one of the most important historic buildings of Marseille. A former hospice become a cultural venue, it houses museums and exhibitions. The Marseille audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this architectural masterpiece, in the heart of the Panier district.

A former hospice become a cultural hub

Built in the baroque era as a hospice to house the destitute, the Centre de la Vieille Charité is organised around a courtyard and a domed chapel, a masterpiece of the architect and sculptor Pierre Puget. Now converted, it brings together several cultural structures, including museums and exhibition spaces. It is one of the finest architectural ensembles of Marseille, in the heart of Le Panier.

What to see

You admire the arcaded courtyard, the baroque domed chapel and the collections of the museums it houses, devoted notably to archaeology and the arts. The building, at once a place of memory and a cultural hub, is a jewel of Le Panier. It is a major stop for lovers of art, history and architecture in Marseille.

Practical information

The Centre de la Vieille Charité lies at 2 rue de la Charité, in the heart of the Panier district, in Marseille, reachable on foot. It can be visited, generally Tuesday to Sunday during the day; its hours and prices vary with the exhibitions and the season. It is best to check the arrangements before coming.

What is the Centre de la Vieille Charité?

It is a former baroque hospice of the Panier district, organised around a domed chapel by Pierre Puget, become a cultural hub housing museums and exhibitions.

Where is the Centre de la Vieille Charité?

At 2 rue de la Charité, in the heart of the Panier district, the oldest district of Marseille.