Our history - - Musée de la Photographie

As a Contemporary Art Center of the French Community Wallonia-Brusssels, the Photography Museum is situated in an ancient renovated neo-gothic Carmelite convent since 1987.

Thanks to a new contemporary wing opened in 2008, the museum has nowadays become the broadest and one of the most important photography museum in Europe, displaying more than 2200 m2 exhibition surface with an artistic and technical photography variety.

1978
The non-profit organization “Photographie Ouverte” was founded in 1978 and arose from the commitment of Jeanne and Georges Vercheval. Its first real public opening was in 1979. From then on, the future museum nurtured projects, started collect photographs and equipment for the collection and made itself known by installations in various places in Charleroi.
1980
In 1980, the success of the first “International Triennial of Photography” persuaded the authorities to support the non-profit organisation by making an area available and the “Gallery of the Musée de la Photograhie” was set up in Rue Huart Chapel in Charleroi. Many exhibitions were organised there.
1987
In 1987, the “Musée de la Photographie, Contemporary Art Center of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation”, was inaugurated in the buildings of the former Carmelite convent built at the end of the 19^th century in Mont-sur-Marchienne. A new momentum was given to the Museum’s activities.
1995
In 1995, major refurbishment work were carried out to adapt the convent to its new role and convert the building into a modern, functional and convivial museum. The structure is now outwards open.
2000
The collection quickly grow up. The need to provide additional room to welcome visitors, the exhibition of the permanent collection and the stock rooms induced the museum to expand once again under impetus of Xavier Canonne, who became it's director in March 2000.
2008
Nestling in an urban inlet, the Museum’s new wing, designed by Escaut Architecture, took root in the orchard of the former Carmelite monastery. (Project co-funded by the “Wallonia-Brussels Federation” and the European Union – FEDER fund) Bringing art and architecture together, the project integrates the visual artist Jeanine Cohen is piece of work. The slender aluminium extrusions covering the front develop a bond with sky and light. Barely perceptible colours, permeating from behind, diffuse their reflections as the hours of the day tick away, following the path of the sun, and changing with the passing seasons. It is a photographic piece of work on its own and it questions the sense of photography as much as our own senses. In 2008 the “Musée de la Photographie” inaugurated its new wing adjoining the former Carmelite monastery and thereby became as the largest and one of the major photography museums in Europe.