Musée de la Grande Guerre Pays de Meaux
The greeting by the flags of the embroiled nations at the entrance to the museum sets the stage for the museum's attitude of commemoration.
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| Flags marking the entrance of the Musée de la Grande Guerre |
The newest of the two museums, the Musée de la Grande Guerre is the newest of the two museums, opened on November 11, 2011. It cantilevers out downhill from the massive seven story sculpture American Monument.
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| Musée de la Grande Guerre and the American Monument (under construction) - www.domusweb.it |
Located in Pays de Meaux, just east of Paris, the museum has been built on a battleground of the Marne. Archeologists continue to find artifacts in the area.
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| Map of the Western Front - Meaux is left of center east of Paris (Benns) |
The museum is based on materials collected by the photographer John-Pierre Verney over the course of 40 years. As a child he became obsessed with the war and added anything associated with it to his collection. Remarkable in the collection are the personal items men used as they lived in the trenches.
The introduction to the museum is a sophisticated moving collage of iconic images of the 20th century. Chronologically ordered galleries present:
- Conditions leading up to the war including Alsace-Lorraine
- A walk through the dominos falling as the war started
- The surge of participation
- Trench stalemate
- Arrival of the liberating Americans
- Exit hallway lined with repercussions of the Treaty of Versailles.
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| Mindset of revenge in France |
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| for the loss of Alsace-Lorraine |
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A divided Europe - war about to start
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Surge of participation - notice all the nations represented (except AEF at this point)
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| Stalemate of the trenches |
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| Arrival of the Americans - notice the diversity in ethnicity and military role |
Side galleries address weaponry, women’s roles, medical challenges, troops from the colonies, and the soldier’s personal possessions.
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| Brochure of the Musée de la Grande Guerre - notice the diversity of people and roles |
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