A setting to celebrate your story
Full presentation
Receptions and conferences by the ancient port
Close to the Vieux-Port, the Marseille History Museum combines a reception hall and an auditorium in a venue devoted to the city’s 26 centuries of history. Its municipal hire offer allows a professional gathering, cocktail reception or evening event, with an optional cultural visit. The auditorium also hosts conferences, screenings, concerts, performances, round tables and symposia. The museums’ general hire conditions exclude family events, including weddings and birthdays, as well as religious events.
Two clearly separate spaces
The entrance hall covers 400 square metres and has a published capacity of 200 standing guests. The auditorium separately provides 200 seats. It has a technical control room, and the museum indicates the possibility of streaming events live on YouTube. The team must confirm the equipment, staffing and associated costs available for a private project. The capacities of the two spaces are not added together: the layout depends on the programme and agreement.
The 3,500-square-metre permanent display and the ancient port archaeological site form part of the museum’s identity. They do not automatically constitute cocktail reception areas included in the hall’s hire price. The visitor route and accessible collections must be agreed with the team. The museum lists air conditioning and Wi-Fi; their use by participants is arranged alongside other technical requirements.
Hall and auditorium hire rates
Under the municipal schedule effective from 19 February 2024, the hall is listed at €4,000 including tax for breakfast from 8 to 9 a.m. or an after-work/cocktail reception from 7 to 9 p.m. An evening from 7 to 11 p.m. is listed at €10,000 including tax. The auditorium has a separate rate of €1,000 including tax for four hours. These references must be confirmed for the chosen date, duration and spaces.
Utilities, security and supervision incur additional charges: €1,500 for up to 100 people and €2,500 for 101–200. The organiser chooses suppliers and pays for catering, drinks, decoration, entertainment and cleaning. A guided visit lasting up to 90 minutes can be added, using the reference rate of €155 Monday–Saturday or €190 Sunday, plus any admission tickets. Free admission to certain museum cultural events does not mean that the auditorium can be hired free of charge.
Heritage and access
Fully renovated in 2013, the museum presents nearly 3,000 works and objects in its main exhibition. This setting allows a reception to be combined with an exploration of Marseille’s maritime, archaeological and urban past, according to the collections and exhibitions accessible when the event takes place.
The official address is 2 rue Henri-Barbusse, at Centre Bourse. Metro M1 serves Vieux-Port and Colbert, M2 serves Noailles, and trams T2/T3 serve Belsunce-Alcazar; a paid public car park is available at Centre Bourse. The rue Henri-Barbusse lift is currently reported out of service, so the accessible route and access to booked rooms must be checked with reception. Enquiries are received on +33 4 91 55 36 00 or at musee-histoire@marseille.fr. The City approves each project and its conditions through an occupancy agreement.
Photograph credit
The ancient freshwater basin in the Jardin des Vestiges at the Marseille History Museum. Photographed on 14 March 2024 — Carl Ha / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Converted to WebP under the same licence. Heritage view without an event setup.
Venue highlights
The venue in detail
Useful information is immediately visible so you can compare without opening several menus.
Events
- Conference and congress
- Company party
- Afterwork drinks and leaving party
- Show and concert
Venue types
- Gallery, museum and studio
- Theatre and auditorium
Actual capacity
- Seated capacity200 people
- Standing reception capacity200 people
Setting and surroundings
- City centre
- Historic site
Available spaces
- Indoor room
Services and comfort
- Wi-Fi
- Air conditioning / heating
Access and facilities
- Accessibility of the spacesSubject to conditions
- Accessible spaces and further detailsThe museum is by the ancient port on rue Henri-Barbusse, Centre Bourse, 13001 Marseille; the official address is 2 rue Henri-Barbusse. Metro M1 Vieux-Port or Colbert, M2 Noailles; trams T2/T3 Belsunce-Alcazar and the paid public Centre-Bourse car park. The museum currently reports that the rue Henri-Barbusse lift is out of service; contact the team to confirm the accessible route via the raised walkway and access to the booked spaces. Hearing assistance, wheelchair loans and adapted visits are listed, subject to advance arrangements. No private car park is advertised.
- Pets allowedNo
- Other spaces and facilitiesEntrance hall: 400 square metres, 200 standing guests. Auditorium: 200 seats, with a technical control room and the possibility of live streaming to YouTube; availability, staffing and technical costs must be agreed for hire. These two capacities are not added together. The 3,500-square-metre permanent exhibition and ancient port form part of the museum but are not advertised as included reception areas. Air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a shop and accessible toilets are listed; their availability for the event must be clarified.
Reception formats
- Reception
- Cocktail reception
Catering and suppliers
- Choice of catererFree choice
- Venue hire without catering availableYes
Event schedule
- Schedule detailsFor the hall: breakfast 8–9 a.m., after-work/cocktail reception 7–9 p.m., evening reception 7–11 p.m., outside public opening. The auditorium has a four-hour hire package; the exact slot, setup, technical checks and removal must be agreed. Normal visitor opening is Tuesday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Auditorium event times vary with the programme.
Exclusive hire and permissions
- Exclusive use of the spacesSubject to conditions
- Spaces and conditions for exclusive hireThe spaces specified in an agreement are made available following City approval. The area and access to collections are defined for each project; hire does not promise exclusive use of the entire museum.
- Ceremonies and adaptations offeredMunicipal conditions exclude family events, including weddings and birthdays, and religious events. This offer concerns corporate and institutional receptions accepted by the City.
Experience and introduction
- Venue introduction and highlightsAn urban-history museum in central Marseille, surrounding the ancient port archaeological site. Renovated in 2013, it presents 26 centuries of history in a 3,500-square-metre display containing nearly 3,000 works and objects. A hall for standing receptions and an auditorium for conferences, screenings, round tables and performances; a cultural visit may complement the event depending on the accessible collections.
Prices and inclusions
The base price, included services and possible extras are clearly separated.
Venue hire only
Included in the price
- Indoor room
Options and extras
- Catering
- Drinks
- Decoration
- Additional security
- Cleaning
Useful conditions
- Price based on guest numbers
- Taxes included
Pricing details
- Tax information
- Taxes included
- Amounts and conditions of other additional charges
- Municipal schedule effective 19 February 2024, including tax and subject to confirmation for the date: entrance hall, breakfast 8–9 a.m. or after-work/cocktail hire 7–9 p.m., €4,000; evening hire 7–11 p.m., €10,000. The 200-seat auditorium has a separate four-hour hire rate of €1,000. Utilities, security and supervision are additional: €1,500 for up to 100 people, €2,500 for 101–200; layout and capacity are approved in the agreement. Capacities are not combined and meals are not included. Catering, drinks, decoration, entertainment and cleaning are paid for by the organiser. Guided visit, maximum 90 minutes: €155 Monday–Saturday or €190 Sunday, plus any admission tickets, with one guide per room or a maximum of 30 people. Events in the museum’s cultural programme may have their own admission price or free entry, separate from private venue hire.
Booking and payment
- Payment deadlines and booking conditions
- A temporary occupancy agreement with the City of Marseille sets out each party’s obligations. Acceptance depends on the event’s purpose. Payment terms, deposit, security bond, cancellation, setup and reinstatement conditions must be obtained in the quotation and agreement; no schedule is assumed.