L'art de grandir

► From 1 September to 31 December 2026, the Préau will be open by reservation only, for school groups and other groups (by phone on 04 13 94 83 85 or by email at resa-preaudesaccoules@marseile.fr).

No free visits; only time slots for workshop visits.

Tuesday to Saturday at 10am and 2pm.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

Looking at childhood differently

"L'art de grandir" takes visitors on a journey through depictions of childhood in the collections of Marseille's museums, from Antiquity to the present day. Through a selection of works drawn from heritage, ethnographic and artistic collections, the exhibition explores how artists, and the societies they reflect, have seen, understood and represented children.

An exhibition designed for children

Conceived and produced by the Musée des enfants – Préau des Accoules, this exhibition is aimed first of all at young audiences. Every space in the exhibition has been designed to encourage curiosity, observation and personal expression.

Through playful installations, guided visits and art-making workshops, children become active explorers of what they see: understanding images, feeling emotions, and experimenting with creating.

A universal theme: childhood in art

• The child in the history of art
• The representation of the child has always reflected the social, spiritual and cultural beliefs of an era:
• Antiquity: realistic representation, study of the body and the portrait.
• Middle Ages: sacred imagery, centred on the Infant Jesus.
• 17th century: idealisation and hope, the child becomes a subject in its own right.
• 19th century: the emergence of realism, freedom and spontaneity.
• Contemporary period: the child becomes a mirror of our society and of our emotions.
• Across the centuries, artists have portrayed children as heirs, symbols, workers, dreamers or witnesses to their times.