Musée de la Guerre de 1870 et de l'Annexion
Departmental museum on the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871 and the annexation of Alsace-Moselle, close to the Gravelotte battlefields.
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About the museum
Around 1875, two Lorrainers, Elisabeth and Viktor Erpeldinger, displayed their collection of souvenirs of the 1870 war in a small museum in Gravelotte, the Kriegsmuseum. After the two World Wars, this first museum gradually deteriorated and fell into oblivion.
In 2000, the Moselle Département took over management of the collections and decided to build a new building. It was designed by architect Bruno Mader, with museography by Pierre Verger: a monolithic volume in patinated metal with a large two-level entrance hall. The current museum opened its doors in 2014.
The permanent route covers 900 m² and brings together more than 6,000 objects: uniforms, weapons, artworks, documents, photographs and testimonies. It follows the battles of summer 1870 around Metz (Borny, Rezonville-Mars-la-Tour, Gravelotte-Saint-Privat), then covers the occupation, the creation of the Reichsland of Alsace-Lorraine and Germanization. A neighboring place of memory completes the visit: the Halle du Souvenir, inaugurated in 1905, and the military cemetery where French and German soldiers rest.
Highlights
- More than 6,000 objects: uniforms, weapons, paintings, documents and photographs
- Account of the battles of Borny, Rezonville-Mars-la-Tour and Gravelotte-Saint-Privat
- Fragments of the Panorama of Rezonville
- Painting “En Lorraine” by Albert Bettannier
- Section on the Reichsland and the Germanization of Alsace-Moselle
- Halle du Souvenir (1905) and military cemetery next to the museum
Permanent exhibition
- Parcours permanent de 900 m² – Chronological route on the 1870–1871 war, the annexation and life under the Reichsland, with more than 6,000 objects, fragments of the Panorama of Rezonville and Bettannier’s painting “En Lorraine.”
- Founded
- 2014
- Operated by
- Département de la Moselle
- Visitors per year
- approx. 30,086
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €7 |
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| Reduced | €5 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 11 · Free admission for children under 12. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for visitors with reduced mobility and their companion. |
| Pass Passionnément Moselle Solo (1 year) | €15Free and unlimited access to each Département site for one year; sold at the museum reception. |
| Pass Passionnément Moselle Duo (1 year) | €25 |
| Pass Passionnément Moselle Family (2 adults and children under 18) | €25Proof of the children’s age required at purchase. |
| Pass Passionnément Moselle Student (1 year) | €10Student card required at purchase. |
The Pass Passionnément Moselle gives one year of free access to the sites of the Moselle Département and 5% off in museum shops.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Admission is free for visitors with reduced mobility and their companion; the museum’s web page does not detail its accessibility facilities.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 11 |
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- Family tours & workshops
Workshops and games for children and families during the holidays (for example Archéobox, Les petits sculpteurs, Le musée des p’tits zouaves and Jeu aux frontières). Free admission for children under 12.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | Animations and historical reenactments throughout the year; a virtual tour of the museum is available online. |
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