Musée du Palais Lascaris — Attraction in Nice

The first floor was shut, but my visit was very enjoyable nevertheless. The interior decoration is very ornate and unusual, and I very much wished there had been a concert going on I could stop and enjoy in the music room. I felt that the inhabitants had just slipped out for a while, and might return at any minute. The highlight has to be the fine diverse collection of historic musical instruments, such as a theorbe made in 1766 by Fidele Barma, part of the Gautier collection that was left to the city. There were all sorts of different variations on standard instruments, some a mixture between instruments, and a fine display of eighteenth century harps.In 1538 representatives of Spain,France and the Papal States met in Nice for a peace conference, that was a massively important musical event, all the parties bringing with them performers and composers. Christobalde Morales composed a Jubilate Deo Omnis Terra on this occasion, the earliest extant piece of music associated with Nice. As background music was playing, I hoped to buy a CD of music played on some of the historic instruments, but sadly the shop was rather disappointing, and didn't have anything like that available, a lost opportunity. Not withstanding that, this is a wonderful place and with the Musee Massena, a 'must see' in my opinion for any visitor to Nice who...

This is a lovely 17th century aristocrat’s town house, with lots of the original features still in place. Not the original furniture and fittings (typical French curation!) but a large quantity of antiques, paintings, and a collection of ancient instruments dotted around. You cannot really get an idea of what it was like in earlier centuries, but it is fantastic to walk around for an hour or so, with beautiful objects to admire, fabulously décor to marvel at. One of the best value visits in Nice - The spacious rooms are arranged on three floors, without a lift (stairs only). I rank this as one of the best value paid attractions in Nice, at only a handful of euros. Sometimes there are special exhibitions, obviously rather variable. Today we saw a temporary exhibition curated by Nice’s modern art museum, and it was great (but sadly about to close, so there’s not much point reviewing it here). But I have posted a couple of photos of fun installations in the exhibition, by an artist called Laurence Aëgerter, to give you...

The Lascaris Palace is a former aristocratic residence in Nice built by the Lascaris family of Ventimiglia in the first half of the 17th century, and today a museum of old musical instruments.

The Lascaris Palace is remarkable on two counts: •It houses a museum of old musical instruments that will amaze everyone. The collections are well documented and the instruments well staged.

• You will also appreciate the apartments of the lascars family: first of all the vestibule of honor with the motto of the family. Then upstairs, the lounges with 17th century tapestries, painted ceilings, gilded stucco... one of the most beautiful residences with 18th century rockery furniture.

Don't hesitate to ask the guide for a few explanations, who will tell you the story of this...