Palazzo Lascaris in Nice: a baroque palace and 500 ancient instruments

From private palace to municipal museum

The building was acquired by the city of Nice in 1942. Restoration work took place between 1963 and 1970, before its opening to the public in its current configuration. The architecture remains faithful to the Genoese model: arcade entrance hall, grand staircase, painted ceilings, salons decorated with Aubusson and Flemish tapestries, period paintings and furnishings.

France’s second collection of ancient instruments

What sets Palazzo Lascaris apart from other museums in Vieux-Nice is a bequest. By will dated 26 May 1901, the Nice notable Antoine Gautier left the city a considerable collection of ancient musical instruments. Subsequent acquisitions have brought the ensemble to over 500 pieces, making it France’s second collection of musical instruments, behind only the Musée de la Musique at the Philharmonie de Paris.

The collection spans from the sixteenth to the twentieth century, with its core in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries: viols da gamba, recorders, harps, guitars, harpsichords, wind instruments.

Three pieces that justify the visit alone

The tenor sackbut by Anton Schnitzer, dated 1581, is the collection’s flagship instrument. It is one of the oldest sackbuts in the world preserved in its original state, a simple fact but one difficult to overstate for those interested in the history of brass instruments.

The alto recorder by Johann Christoph Denner (early eighteenth century) is equally significant: Denner is credited with the invention of the clarinet, and each of his surviving instruments is a historical document in its own right.

Finally, several harp prototypes by Sébastien Erard, whose mechanical innovations defined the modern harp at the turn of the nineteenth century, are preserved at the palace alongside exceptionally rare baroque guitars.

How to visit

The entrance is on the rue Droite, in the heart of Vieux-Nice. The street is pedestrianised: it is reached on foot from place Garibaldi or the cours Saleya, with the nearest public car parks being those at the Palais de Justice and Corvésy. A visit takes 1 to 1.5 hours for those who linger over the musical collection; half that time for those who simply tour the state rooms. Occasional temporary exhibitions regularly refresh the selection on display.

Planning a stay in Nice

AEC Collection selects and represents luxury apartments and villas in Nice and on the Riviera, from Vieux-Nice to Mont Boron and Cap-Ferrat. Opening hours for Palazzo Lascaris and the museum programme should be verified with the Musées de la Ville de Nice.