Strasbourg Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMCS)
MAMCS is the City of Strasbourg's museum of modern and contemporary art, opened in 1998 on the banks of the Ill at Place Hans-Jean-Arp, a short walk from Petite France. Its collections span art from 1870 to the present day: painting, sculpture, prints and drawings, photography and video. Come for Arp, Kandinsky or Picasso, and for its temporary exhibitions.
A glass nave facing the Ill
The museum was built by architect Adrien Fainsilber on the left bank of the Ill, opposite the headquarters of the European Collectivity of Alsace and a stone's throw from the Vauban Dam. The bright building opens onto Place Hans-Jean-Arp, which also houses the Institut national du service public in the former Commandery of Saint John. Besides the galleries, it contains an auditorium, the museums' library, a bookshop and a restaurant.
From Monet to video art
The collections start in 1870 and run right up to today's art. Among its artists the museum lists Gustave Doré, Monet, Rodin, Gauguin, Käthe Kollwitz, Max Beckmann, Picasso and Kandinsky, then Niki de Saint Phalle, Nam June Paik, Georg Baselitz, Annette Messager and Xavier Veilhan. Painting, sculpture, graphic art, photography and video sit side by side, so a single visit takes you from Impressionism to the most recent practices.
Arp and Sophie Taeuber, local heroes
It is no coincidence that the museum looks onto Place Hans-Jean-Arp: Arp and Sophie Taeuber are among the artists highlighted in the collections, alongside Marcelle Cahn. Their presence recalls Strasbourg's ties with the 20th-century avant-gardes. The museum also stages three to four exhibitions a year, which regularly refresh the visit, so check what is on show before you come.
Planning your visit
The museum is open every day except Monday, from 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm on weekdays and 10 am to 6 pm at weekends; admission is 9 euros (5 euros reduced). It is a few minutes' walk from the railway station and Petite France. The easy plan is to combine them: cross the Vauban Dam and its panoramic terrace, then stroll the lanes of Petite France to the Covered Bridges.
Practical information
Frequently asked questions
Where is MAMCS?
At 1 Place Hans-Jean-Arp, on the banks of the Ill, near the Vauban Dam and Petite France, a few minutes' walk from the station.
What periods do the collections cover?
Art from 1870 to the present. For earlier painting, head to the Musée des Beaux-Arts in the Palais Rohan, which stops around 1870.
What are the opening hours and prices?
Every day except Monday, 10 am-1 pm and 2-6 pm on weekdays, 10 am-6 pm at weekends. Full price 9 euros, reduced 5 euros, according to the Strasbourg museums' website.
What is there to do nearby?
Cross the Vauban Dam right opposite, then walk on to the Covered Bridges and Petite France, just a few minutes away.
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