This autumn, Marseille takes an unexpected journey, somewhere between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. At La Vieille Charité, the exhibition Aden-Marseille. D’un pont à l’autre (From one bridge to the other) reveals the secret links between the city of Marseille and the Yemeni port of Aden, at a time when ships carried more than just goods – ideas, knowledge and stories. An invitation to rediscover a little-known part of Marseille’s adventure, between forgotten maritime routes and distant diplomacy.
The Phocaean city – heart of the encounter between Arabia and the Mediterranean
La Vieille Charité opens its doors to Aden-Marseille. From one bridge to the other, a fascinating journey between Arabia and the Mediterranean. The exhibition reveals the surprising links between the Phocaean city and the Yemeni port of Aden – forgotten works, rare archives, navigators’ accounts… A journey through a little-known maritime corridor, where diplomats, scientists and sailors crossed paths. From the XIXᵉ to the XXᵉ century, Marseille proved to be a strategic point, a crossroads of exchange and an essential bridge between the two shores. A cultural odyssey in which the port becomes the beating heart of stories that have shaped the Mediterranean.
Aden- Marseille – an international exhibition born of a rare alliance between major European museums
And while theexhibitiontells the story of the encounter between Arabia and the Mediterranean, it also weaves another, even wider bridge – that between the great cultural centers of Europe. To bring together this treasure trove, the British Museum in London, the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, the Vorderasiatisches Museum in Berlin, the Musée Arthur Rimbaud in Charleville-Mézières and several private collectors have joined forces. It’s a rare, almost unhoped-for coalition, which puts an exceptionally rich collection of works in the hands of visitors. A whole Europe of museums is converging on Marseille, drawn by the singular history of a port that has become a crossroads of worlds and a living memory of movement between the shores.
📍Location – Vieille Charité, in the heart of the Panier district
2 rue de la Charité, 13002 Marseille
📅From November 21, 2025 to March 29, 2026
🕒 Opening hours
Tuesday – Sunday, 9am – 6pm (Monday closed)
💸 Prices
- 6 € – full price
- 3 € – reduced
- Free → first day + every first Sunday of the month
- Free for -18 years old and several statuses (arts, job seekers…).
🚇 Transport
Metro – Colbert or Joliette
Streetcar – Sadi Carnot / Joliette
Parking – Q-Park Joliette, République, Hôtel de Ville