CULTURE In Nîmes, the exhibitions Water flow from source

Water, the engine of agricultural and industrial activities, a source of life but also of devastating episodes, has shaped the city of Nîmes.

A history that can be traced through wells, canals, fountains, reservoirs, or vestiges found around a street. From Nemausus to the present-day city, from the Jardins de la Fontaine to the Pradier fountain through the rue de l’Agau, discover the history of water in Nîmes in all its facets.

From April 9 to November 22, the City of Nîmes offers a cultural season on “Water, a source of inspiration” presented in museums and different locations in the city: a common thread between the multiple historical, artistic, societal, environmental, and heritage facets of the exhibitions and events taking place from April to November.

“Eau, l’expo et Aquamuséum” is a temporary exhibition carried out by the Museum of Natural History. It can be discovered at the Jules Salles and Courbet galleries from April 10 to November 12, 2026.

From marine biodiversity to pictorial myths, urban history, the Camargue, and the Cévennes landscapes, Nîmes unfolds a cultural season dedicated to water. A simple molecule with exceptional properties, water is at the heart of life.

From its cosmic birth to its role in the emergence of life, to current challenges in its conservation, the exhibition “Eau,” realized by the Museum of Toulouse and installed in the Jules Salles gallery, offers a journey along the water.

Three chapters structure the journey. “Eau & Vie” to delve into the origins of Earth and life. “Eau & Hommes” to explore the symbols, uses, and transformations of environments. And finally, “Eau & Sociétés,” for a limited resource, a collective challenge.

An invitation to rethink our relationship with water and to imagine more sustainable uses. In the Courbet gallery, the Aquamuséum exhibition allows you to discover the significant collection of naturalized fish from the Museum, including a recently restored basking shark.

Explore the emblematic species of the Mediterranean Sea and understand the biological peculiarities and ecological challenges faced by this aquatic environment today.

A unique experience with VR headsets allows you to immerse yourself in 360-degree views of the marine world with sharks, dolphins, and other marine species.

“Résurgence, l’eau à Nîmes” is to be discovered at the Museum of Vieux Nîmes from May 14 to November 22.

Presence, absence, or the transport of water play an essential role in how people inhabit a territory. Water management is a major challenge in Nîmes for supply, city functioning, and daily life since antiquity and has shaped the city’s organization.

The exhibition will present the structuring role of water in the city, from antiquity, the evolution of the place it is given, as well as contemporary challenges between scarcity and excess, through selected examples. It will be accompanied by mediation devices created by the students.

“Camargue, land of waters,” at the Museum of Taurine Cultures from May 21 to October 31, 2026.

In the heart of the Rhône delta, a meeting zone between fresh and saltwater, the Camargue is a unique territory where time seems to stand still.

A symbol of wild nature, the Camargue is actually a territory shaped by humans, whose identity has been built around water management and its overflows. The waters of the Rhône and the Mediterranean irrigate the activities of humans between agriculture and livestock, fishing and industrial salt exploitation, tourism, and traditions.

This protected natural environment, with distinct flora and fauna, must face a fragile and threatened balance. Through paintings, photographs, films, and objects, the exhibition invites you to immerse yourself in this territory, its history, and current challenges.