Very difficult to tell what the actual entrance policies of the museum are. Online, the website clearly states that the ticket office closes at 17:30. I arrived well before that time on July 25th and encountered two staff members. One, a man, seemed unsure about the policy, and potentially willing to let me enter. He deferred to the other, a middle-aged woman with short white hair, who invented the idea that the ticket office closes at 17:15 and that you can only enter if you've gotten your free ticket in advance et ainsi de suite et bla bla bla pour bloquer l'entrée au gens. A quoi sert cette politique capricieuse si la raison d'etre du musée est de faire apreciée á la grande publique la profondeur de la culture et l'histoire de la ville?!? Don't waste your time, they're more concerned with having their time off than helping you understand Marseille. It's really a pity, as we came all the way from the united States and we want to know more about the long and significant history of Marseille. Instead, we leave frustrated and feel that our honest interest is of no concern. Maybe go someplace else where you are wanted.