Behind the Masks - Photographs from the Two Wars - Musée de la Grande Guerre

Temporary Closure

The Museum of the Great War is closed to the public from 17 August to 4 September 2026 (inclusive). During this time, our teams are working behind the scenes on the museum’s collections and preparing for the new season. We look forward to welcoming you back on 5 September for the 1914–1918 Historical Re-enactment Weekend.

Temporary exhibition

13 September 2025 > 16 August 2026

Free access
during museum hours
On the square

Behind the Masks – Photographs from the Two Wars Temporary exhibition Behind the Masks – Photographs from the Two Wars

Behind the Masks - Photographs from the Two Wars

This exhibition, in partnership with ECPAD (Établissement de Communication et de Production Audiovisuelle de la Défense), offers a photographic immersion into the evolution of gas masks, from their initial use in 1915 to the ARS masks used from November 1917 until the end of World War II.

This retrospective is part of the commemoration of the 110th anniversary of the first massive gas attack in Ypres on April 22, 1915, by the German army. It sheds essential light on these masks, striking symbols of the conflict during a pivotal period in modern warfare.

From September 13, 2025, to August 16, 2026

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Practical information

  • Free access during museum opening hours
  • On the museum forecourt

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