The Matisse Museum occupies a 17th-century Genoese villa in the Cimiez neighbourhood, set in an olive grove on a hill above the city. The collection is comprehensive: paintings, drawings, bronzes, paper cut-outs, and the bold decorative work from his later years when failing health meant he worked in bed with scissors. The famous blue-and-white paper cut-outs from his final decade are here, including preparatory work for the Vence Chapel.
The museum is a 20-minute bus ride (or a very uphill 30-minute walk) from the city centre. The grounds contain Roman ruins — Cimiez was the capital of the Roman province of Alpes Maritimae — and the nearby Franciscan monastery has a peaceful garden open to visitors. Combine the Matisse museum with the Chagall museum (15 minutes' walk downhill) for a full day of Riviera art.