Dsc00305
Located in the heart of Céret, the Museum of Modern Art is an essential place to introduce children to art while discovering a history deeply connected to the Vallespir. Extended in 2022, it houses modern and contemporary art collections reflecting the time spent in the town by numerous artists.
Musée art moderne Céret
|
Musée art moderne Céret
|
For a child, entering a museum can be intimidating. The aim is to turn the visit into an active experience without overwhelming them with explanations. The “L’art en sac” activity kit, available throughout the modern art collection, includes observation games inspired by the artworks. Search-and-find games, puzzles, memory games and spot-the-difference activities encourage children to examine colours, shapes, characters and details.
Each family can explore at its own pace, inviting children to choose their favourite artwork, find a particular shape or imagine what might happen next in a scene.
Located on the first floor, the “À vous de jouer!” area provides a break within the contemporary art galleries. Designed for children and their parents, it combines relaxation, exploration and artistic discovery while complementing direct observation of the artworks.
Depending on its programme, the museum also offers workshops for children, family visits and participatory activities. Drawing, collage, printmaking, poster design and mixed-media techniques may be used to extend the discovery of an artist or temporary exhibition. After observing an artwork, children experiment with a material, a composition or a different way of representing the world.
These creative activities demonstrate that modern art is based on exploration, choices and experimentation, while also encouraging interaction within the family.
Themes, age groups, prices and registration conditions vary according to the programme. Some activities have limited places and may require advance booking with the visitor services department. Check the museum’s latest programme and contact information before your visit.
A visit is also an opportunity to explain to children why Céret holds a special place in the history of modern art. The museum was founded in 1950 by painters Pierre Brune and Franck Burty Haviland, with support from artists who had spent time in the town. Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse notably contributed to the creation of the museum’s first collections.
Picasso, Georges Braque, Juan Gris, Chaïm Soutine, Marc Chagall, Auguste Herbin and Max Jacob are among the constellation of artists associated with Céret. The artworks on display vary depending on the current collection display and temporary exhibitions. This history can provide a theme for the visit: look for traces of Cubism or compare different ways of representing a face.
To prepare for your visit, see the Vallespir Tourisme page dedicated to the Céret Museum of Modern Art.
Maison de l'eau et de la Méditerranée - Le Boulou
|
In the heart of Le Boulou, the Maison de l’Eau et de la Méditerranée offers a very different experience. This cultural and scientific interpretation centre is dedicated to water, its uses and its preservation. Its immersive and interactive exhibition explores scientific, historical and environmental issues through a familiar element: water.
One of the centre’s strengths is its ability to make sometimes complex concepts more tangible. Children discover the different forms of water, its role in societies and the challenges involved in preserving it.
Parents can extend the experience by asking simple questions: Where does the water we use every day come from? Why is it essential to the landscapes of the Vallespir? How do human activities affect its quality and availability?
The Maison de l’Eau et de la Méditerranée connects scientific discovery with the history of Le Boulou and, more broadly, with Mediterranean landscapes. It fits naturally into a holiday combining heritage, nature and responsible tourism.
Workshops, guided tours and activities may complement the visit depending on the time of year. Their content, prices and booking arrangements should be checked before travelling. Practical information is available on the Vallespir Tourisme page dedicated to the Maison de l’Eau et de la Méditerranée.
Maison de l'eau et de la Méditerranée - Le Boulou
|
In Maureillas-Las-Illas, the Cork Museum tells the story of an activity that has left a lasting mark on the local landscape and economy. The visit connects nature, traditional trades and the manufacture of everyday objects.
The exhibition explains the life cycle of the cork oak, the harvesting of its bark and how the material is used. Children can follow cork from the tree to bottle stoppers and other objects. Tools once used by cork workers add a tangible dimension to the experience.
Young visitors learn how a natural resource is harvested, prepared and transformed using specialist skills. The visit provides an opportunity to explore the relationship between forests and human activities while highlighting a form of heritage characteristic of the Vallespir.
After the museum, the experience can continue in the cork oak forests of Maureillas. Observing the trees in their natural environment helps children connect what they have learned with the real landscape. They can spot the marks left by cork harvesting on the trunks and gain a better understanding of the role played by these Mediterranean forests.
Families wishing to add a walk should choose a route suited to the children’s ages, the weather and current conditions. Combining a cultural visit with time outdoors gives the day a particularly coherent theme.
Musée du liège - Maureillas Las Illas
|
Musée du liège - Maureillas Las Illas
|
For a change of experience, two other museums allow families to explore the heritage of the Vallespir through instruments, objects and local stories. Their format is particularly suitable for families who prefer a focused visit based on a specific theme.
The Music Museum, also known as the CIMP, houses an important collection of traditional and popular musical instruments. Oboes, flutes, string instruments and percussion instruments allow children to compare shapes, materials and different ways of producing sound. The exhibition also introduces the people who play and make these instruments.
To make the visit more playful, parents can ask children to group instruments into families, identify those made from wood or imagine what they might sound like before reading the explanations. The museum therefore provides an introduction to musical cultures from around the world.
Musée de la musique - Céret
|
The Maison de l’Histoire, Casa del Voló, invites visitors to discover how Le Boulou has evolved and explore the main elements of its heritage. This visit is particularly suitable for children who enjoy old objects, stories and traces left by previous generations.
Turning the visit into a search for clues can make the experience more engaging: identify what an object was used for, compare the old town with the town today or choose a historical period to explore in greater depth. Parents can adapt explanations to the age of their children without trying to cover everything.
Maison-de-lhistoire_Le-Boulou
|
The best museum is not necessarily the largest. Above all, choose an experience suited to your children’s curiosity, their age and your family’s pace.
For observing artworks, playing with colours and taking part in creative activities, the Céret Museum of Modern Art remains the most comprehensive choice. For hands-on experimentation and learning about a scientific subject, the Maison de l’Eau et de la Méditerranée is particularly suitable. The Cork Museum is ideal for children interested in forests, traditional trades and how objects are made. The Music Museum focuses on comparing instruments and discovering different cultures. Finally, the Maison de l’Histoire provides a better understanding of Le Boulou’s past.
There is no need to fit several museum visits into the same day. A museum can be combined with a walk, a market, a local meal or an outdoor activity.
Alternating activities in this way helps create a balanced family day without overloading the schedule for younger children.
Practical information should always be checked before each visit. Opening hours, closing days, admission prices and temporary exhibitions may vary according to the season and programme.
A museum may change its opening hours between July, September and the rest of the year, close on certain days or adjust access while exhibitions are being changed. Always check the official page shortly before travelling.
At the Céret Museum of Modern Art, also check which artworks are currently on display and which temporary exhibition is running: an artist connected with the museum’s history will not necessarily have works on display on the day of your visit.
The price of an admission ticket does not always include additional activities. Free admission or a reduced child rate may be available while a workshop, activity or guided tour requires an additional fee.
Before booking, check adult and child prices, the ages to which they apply, any supporting documents required and the conditions for each activity. Do not rely on an old brochure or an online review.
When registration is required, bookings are made directly with the museum or its visitor services department according to the arrangements indicated online. Specify the number of adults and children and the children’s ages. When places are limited, contact the establishment in advance by telephone, online form or email.
To find a workshop, new exhibition, guided tour or family event, check the Vallespir events calendar.
