Bordeaux Museum of Fine Arts — Attraction in Bordeaux

The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux is a must-see. Its permanent collection is spread across two charming buildings. Now, here’s where it gets really fun: they’ve added a little game for visitors! Scattered throughout the museum there are close-ups images of paintings, and your mission—should you choose to accept it—is to find where each detail belongs. It’s like an art-themed scavenger hunt that makes you examine the paintings up close and personal. It’s a blast for both young and old, turning your visit into a bit of a detective adventure.

One thing that really stood out to me was their inclusion of "Œuvre spoliée" pieces—artworks stolen by the Nazis that can still be reclaimed by the original owners or their heirs. It’s a powerful reminder of history.

Now, here’s where things get a bit puzzling. They included some of the modern photography from their temporary exhibit in the permanent collection. Don't get me wrong, the photography is cool, but it felt a bit out of place next to the classic masterpieces. It would have been great if they’d kept these contemporary pieces in their own space, like they did in the third building, where an entire temporary exhibit of photography...

Frankly speaking, I’ve visited art museums in every city I’ve traveled to. This one is not the worst, but it’s definitely below average. First, although the museum doesn’t have many masterpieces, they do have some unique paintings that you won’t find in other art museums. Unfortunately, these are not displayed well for visitors to appreciate. Second, they hang many paintings one above another, and some are placed too close to the lights, making it hard to see them properly from any angle. Third, even though they don’t have many masterpieces, they still keep some valuable paintings, like Odilon Redon’s Apollo’s Chariot, in storage. It makes me wonder if they even care whether people visit the...

Beautiful museum for a short afternoon stay.

Musée beaux-arts de Bordeaux is not a big one. If you want to take your time, 1.5-2 hours are enough. The museum houses a wide collection of paintings, and a much smaller collection of sculptures. You can find art pieces ranging from 15th to 20th century here. The exhibition is arrange in chronological order.

The garden is small and you can find some benches to sit on. But when I visited, little flower was in bloom. Normally the price at discount is 3€, but if you live in Bordeaux metropolitan area and happen to be below 26 years old, you can apply for a Carte Jeune, which allows...