Museum of the Great War

The Museum of the Great War (in French called Historial de la Grande Guerre) is a museum in France. It is near the World War I battlefields of the Somme, inside the Château de Péronne, a castle in the town of Péronne, France. Overview During World War I, Péronne was controlled by the German Empire. The people there had many problems because the town was almost completely destroyed. The museum mainly talks about World War I and the years just before and after it. It tries to show how the war affected all people, not just soldiers but also civilians. It explains how everyone suffered during the war. This museum is the biggest one about World War I in Europe and first museum of the First World War in France. It shows what life was like for soldiers at the front and for civilians at home. It also talks about the big changes caused by the war. The museum also shows the battles of the Somme from the point of view of all the countries that fought there. To do this, it has an international research center with many historians and experts. Exhibitions The museum has two main permanent exhibitions: Prisoners of War The exhibition shows what life was like for prisoners. The food was not enough and often bad. Many people got sick. Prisoners had to work very hard. The museum says about 500,000 French, 160,000 British, and 85,000 German soldiers were prisoners during the war. Children in World War I This exhibition shows the role of children in World War I. Children were shown in posters to help recruit soldiers. Propaganda also targeted children. School books taught about being loyal and ready to help as future soldiers or nurses. Toys and stories often had military themes. References Sources Historial de la Grande Guerre (Museum) & Fontaine, Caroline (2008). The collections of the Historial of the Great War. Somology Art Publishers; Peronne, France: Historial of the Great War, Paris. Fathi, Romain (2013). Représentations muséales du corps combattant de 14-18: l'Australian War Memorial de Canberra au prisme de l'Historical de la Grande Guerre de Péronne. Harmattan, Paris