The National Sports Museum in Nice
An immersive journey in the world of sports
Sports fans? Athletes at heart? Do you start every morning jogging in the neighborhood? Addicted to adrenaline and the thrill of physical activity? If one of the answers to the questions was yes then stay with us. Actually, even if not, welcome to the National Sports Museum in Nice, the museum that will take you on a fascinating journey between sports and culture in our peaceful world.
The National Sports Museum, located among the magical scenery of the French Riviera outside the city of Nice, is much more than a museum. The visit to the sports institution will take you to an experience full of adrenaline and thrills, where you will find fascinating exhibitions boasting a collection of over 100,000 collectibles, including vintage equipment, trophies, medals and works of art that all tell the story of the amazing world of sports.
The story behind the sports museum:
The National Sports Museum has a rich history that begins at the beginning of the 20th century, when the French physical education supervisor, Jean Borotra, wanted to establish a hall where they would preserve and share the rich tapestry of world sports history.
The initial museum was established in 1963 in the French capital Paris, and it presented exhibits of collectibles and pieces of information that dealt with the world of sports. Over the years, the museum's collections grew, and the small hall was looking for a new home to move to. In 2013, it was decided to move the museum to an innovative house in the southern city of Nice, and it was located in the stadium of the Nice football team, the Allianz Riviera stadium.
This location, in the heart of the French Riviera, inside a state-of-the-art sports stadium, adds a tangible sense of sporting authenticity to museum visitors. The museum does present the history and glorious past of the sport, but within the walls of the stadium history is made every day.
The museum exhibits
The museum presents permanent exhibitions alongside changing temporary exhibitions. The permanent exhibitions are divided into 4 themes: individual sports, "one-on-one" sports, group sports and "cross-border sports".
The first exhibition in the museum, the so-called only sports exhibition "The Challenge on Yourself", presents collections from the worlds of single sports such as athletics, swimming, cycling, skiing and a wide variety of other branches. The fascinating exhibition is about your inner self, the need to learn your inner limits and overcome them in order to succeed in the individual sport. The fascinating exhibition presents extensive collections of collectibles alongside fascinating stories about breaking boundaries and impressive achievements.
The one-on-one sports exhibition, called "The Man to Man Challenge", presents competitive sports worlds in which one person competes with another, including the worlds of boxing, tennis, martial arts, wrestling and fencing, competitions in which only one wins. In the fascinating exhibitions, you will be exposed to the competitive world where competitor stands against competitor, sword against sword, fist against fist, with one goal - to be better than the opponent standing in front of them. In this space of the museum, you will find fascinating displays from the worlds of duels and hear legendary stories about the battle between the tennis players Federer and Nadal, or the life story of Marcel Sardan, a French boxer whose tragic death plunged the whole of France into mourning.
The third exhibition in the museum is the world of team sports, "The Collective Challenge", that will make you feel for a moment part of a group, part of a team fighting together for a common victory. These exhibitions emphasize the dependence of each of the team players on their teammates, and emphasize the supreme feeling of a team victory.
The most special exhibit in the museum is the "Cross-Border Sports" exhibit "The Challenge Beyond Limits", presenting the stories of those who crossed the boundaries of sports - for better or for worse, and reached extraordinary achievements. In the space of the exciting exhibition you will find mountain climbers, racing drivers, athletes with disabilities and a wide variety of other athletes who have broken the boundaries of the known sports and achieved tremendous achievements in their field. The exhibition also deals with the athletes' confrontation with the forces of nature, such as the stormy sea, the arid desert or high snowy mountains. In the exhibition you will also find the story of those who pushed the limits and used prohibited substances to achieve achievements.
In addition to the exciting permanent exhibitions, you can also find in the museum a variety of temporary exhibitions that change once in a while. It is an exhibition you should not miss "The Great Game" exhibition - A giant screen that allows visitors to relive some of the most memorable moments in sports history. From American athlete Jesse Evans' four gold medals in the 1936 Olympics to France's legendary 1998 World Cup win, the exciting broadcasts provide visitors with an exciting tour of iconic sporting moments.
Along with the extensive collections, the National Sports Museum wants to make its visitors take an active part in the tour, and you can find a variety of fun interactive exhibits, starting from"Sports Lab" Where you can compare your daring skills to legendary athletes, and up to activity Virtual Reality where you can enter the world of skydiving. These interactive exhibits, which are intended for children and adults alike, turn the museum into a wonderful playground that enriches the knowledge of its visitors and makes the experience entertaining and enjoyable.
The museum does not just want to tell about achievements in the world of sports, but longs to present the influence of the world of sports on culture and society in the world. Among the various exhibits you will find pieces of information telling about how sports contributed to gender equality, the fight against racism and even reconciliation between rival countries.
At the end of the visit to the fascinating museum you can visit in the souvenir shop which is full of cute gifts such as miniature bicycles from the Tour de France, iconic rugby balls or a lovely postcard as a souvenir.
The National Sports Museum - important information:
Location: The National Sports Museum is located on the French Riviera, near the Nice Cote d'Azur airport, about a 20-minute drive from Nice city center.
The museum can be reached by convenient public transport from the city of Nice. The convenient way is by tram to the Stade Tram Station, which is about a 2-minute walk from the museum. Also bus lines number 11 and 59 arrive from the city of Nice to the Saint-Isidore station next to the museum.
Museum opening hours: Months May to September - Tuesdays to Sundays between 10:00 and 18:00. (The museum is closed on Mondays).
October to April - Tuesdays to Sundays between 11:00 and 17:00. (closed on Mondays).
Card types:
There are 3 types of tickets: the permanent exhibition ticket, which costs €6 and includes the museum's permanent exhibitions.
The temporary exhibitions ticket, which costs €6 and includes the museum's temporary exhibitions.
A combined ticket that costs 8 euros and includes entry to the many spaces of the museum - the permanent exhibitions and the temporary exhibitions.
It is recommended to order the combined ticket and enjoy a visit to the many fascinating museum exhibits.
It is recommended to order tickets in advance!
Children up to the age of 18 enter the museum for free.
In conclusion, the National Sports Museum in Nice will take you on a fascinating and deep journey in the world of sports - about the various achievements, the world record breakers, the boundary breakers and the effects of the world of sports on global society in its many shades. Visiting the museum is much more than viewing collectibles, but a journey through the passion, dedication and spirit of the legendary athletes in our world.
