Le château des photographes” exhibition

In 2026, the Musée de Normandie's new exhibition weaves together a recent history of the château with photographers' views of its transformation from a military edifice to a historic monument, now a place of culture and heritage.

Caen castle, an enclave in the heart of the city, stands apart in both urban planning and iconography. Long ignored by photography, as military buildings were in the 19th century, it became the focus of attention at the end of the Second World War as the transformation began that gradually transformed it into a heritage, museum and tourist attraction.

The exhibition has been conceived as an album of photographs of the château, from the first known image in 1861 to the present day. The collection of 150 previously unpublished works and documents offers a dual point of view: that of the experts - historians, archaeologists, town planners - who produce a standardised documentary image, and that of the photographers who capture the material, the light and the soul of the place. These images reflect the identity of the château, which is constantly being redefined, and reveal, through its metamorphoses, the history of this emblematic building.

Exhibition produced in partnership with Ardi - Photographies, Association Régionale pour la Diffusion de l'Image en Normandie. Scientific curator: Céline Ernaelsteen, historian of photography, project manager for Ardi - Photographies.

- Publication: Le château des photographes, published by Octopus, 21x28 cm, 152 pages, 200 illustrations, €22. On sale in the exhibition shop (Salles du Rempart).
- On your own: There are a number of devices for all ages along the exhibition route: multi-sensory stations, a mediation area and a space for self-expression. Free booklet-game for 7-13 year-olds.
- Events : Guided tours, workshops, photography courses, meetings with photographic artists...