The Historial – Museum of the Great War – Péronne
Discover Great War Museum in Péronne
By associating the words history and memorial, the historic and memorial dimensions of the Historial are fully conveyed, with its two museums in Péronne and Thiepval, in the Somme department.
An internationally recognised museum of reference, the Historial contributes to the understanding of History by presenting this global conflict in a tour that covers life on the front and behind the lines, for soldiers and civilians, through the interwoven viewpoints of those fighting on the western front.
Since 2014 changes have been underway at the Historial, and new spaces opened.
The permanent exhibitions have been renovated, the content enhanced, and new mediation tools have been developed. Permanent exhibitions devoted to the history of the castle and the area around Péronne, and to the Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin (Sept. 1918) are presented in medieval halls.
In Péronne the Historial deals with the entire conflict, from its origins to its consequences. As an introduction to the museum visit, a film retraces the history of the Great War.
A unique collection of some 70,000 items provides rich material for the permanent and temporary exhibitions. Military and civilian objects, newspapers, posters, letters, postcards, trench handcrafts, films, etc. reproduce the life of soldiers and civilians from the warring countries. Numerous works of art illustrate the representation of the war, daily life on the front lines or behind them, death and bereavement. Never previously shown in a public collection in France, the series of 50 engravings by Otto Dix entitled Der Krieg (“The War”) bear witness to the horrors and traumas of war.
With the combined ticket you can complete your History and Remembrance tour with a visit to both Historial museums in Thiepval and Péronne.