The square building sheathed in a layer of glimmering concrete faces the sea, a footbridge connecting it to the nearby 12th-century monument known as the Fort Saint-Jean, reports FRANCE 24.
The structure designed by prestigious architect Rudy Ricciotti will house Marseille’s latest and highly buzzed-about attraction: The Museum of Civilisations from Europe and the Mediterranean (MuCEM), set to open on June 7.
The first national museum exclusively located outside the French capital, MuCEM will first mark its entrance into the spotlight with an inaugural ceremony on Tuesday, presided over by President François Hollande.
On the ground floor, the museum’s permanent collection sets the tone; though there are historical artifacts on display, they are organized by theme (agriculture, religion) and, above all, are interspersed with references to the present.
In the room dedicated to citizenship and human rights, ancient busts are set alongside an exhibit called “the wall of expression”, which consists of a giant screen showing footage of women today discussing freedom of expression in their respective countries (among them Egyptian blogger Shahinaz Abdel Salam and Tunisian physicist Faouzia Charfi).
Read more of this report from FRANCE 24.