From the Moon to the Shepherd Star, from the Big Dipper constellation to Saturn's rings, the celestial vault and the stars that inhabit it are the object of immense fascination.

The “Reading the Sky” exhibition focuses on the understanding of the night sky in the Mediterranean, as seen from Earth. From the first surveys of the ancient Mesopotamian sky to the vogue for contemporary astrology, via medieval Arab-Muslim astronomy and the Galilean revolution, the societies of the Mediterranean basin have referred to the stars to situate themselves in the cosmos and organize their lives on Earth. Knowledge and beliefs circulated between the two shores, creating a common culture of the sky that still nourishes our contemporary approach to the stars.

Through this dialogue between the arts and sciences, the exhibition aims to question our current relationship with the starry sky. Since ancient times, observing the regularity of the stars has been used to organize daily life, for example, to find one’s way around or to draw up a calendar. Celestial phenomena are also interpreted as signs that have an influence on daily life: phases of the Moon, comet transits, movements of the planets in front of the constellations, and so on. This link between the macrocosm and the microcosm has played a role in the management of states and governments, and in the study of individual behavior, as astronomy and astrology have long worked hand in hand.

While modern astronomy has helped to challenge many of these beliefs, popular culture continues to weave an intimate bond with the stars, seeing the sky as a medium for projecting its deepest questions. Today, as the stars fade away under the light pollution of our cities, we continue to search for the constellations with our eyes, to contemplate the beauty of the starry sky and to think about our relationship with the environment.

“Reading the Sky” presents exceptional works of art and everyday objects that bear witness to this history, set against contemporary works of art that respond to them. In a transdisciplinary approach dear to the Mucem, the exhibition combines archaeological, scientific and ethnographic objects with works of art, manuscripts and oral heritage. It features more than one hundred works from the Mucem’s collections, and benefits from over two hundred loans from national, regional and international collections.

Artists among others:
Etel Adnan, Juliette Agnel, Abdelkader Benchamma, Clément Cogitore, Thierry Cohen, Caroline Corbasson, Vanessa del Campo, Mohssin Harraki, Bernard Moninot, Matthieu Pernot, Camille Pradon, AnaÏs Tondeur, Armelle Tulunda, Fabienne Verdier, with special productions by Sara Ouhaddou and Jean Mallard.

Curated by Enguerrand Lascols and Juliette Bessette.



Image: Instagram visual for the group exhibition „Lire le ciel / Reading the Sky“, 2025, created by Mucem, Marseille.