The Théâtre de l'Alcazar was a famous theatre, founded in the mid-19th century, that was located in the heart of Marseille's Bourse district, on Cours Belsunce [fr], near the Canebière.

The theatre was built at great expense on a vast site on Cours Belsunce, behind the Old Port and the Palais de la Bourse, which had been the location of the stables of Transports Brousset, housing the horses of the company's then rail omnibuses and other horse-drawn carriages.

On April 20, 1889, the Alcazar underwent a renovation that included the creation of the entrance door topped by a marquee which is still visible today and is listed as a Bâtiments de France [fr] building.

It was here that many famous French 20th-century artists either made their debuts (Yves Montand, Tino Rossi and others) or came to prominence (among them Dalida, Maurice Chevalier, Félix Mayol and Fernandel), but not all were so lucky, as Marseille's audiences had a reputation for being ruthless.

The project by architects Adrien Fainsilber and Didier Rogeon – drawn up in compliance with the piece of construction legislation of 12 July 1985 known as the MOP Act [fr] – sets out its "basic mission" as follows:[5] "To build a major library in the protected area of Marseille's historic centre is to create a major architectural event; an easily identifiable building that reflects its contents' specificity, modernity, and high-tech nature.