Permanent exhibition

The permanent exhibition extends over more than 1,000 m², with 15 rooms across 4 floors. It traces the history of the castle from the construction of its first tower around 950 to the present day, from the rise of the Grandson family to the Burgundian Wars and the successive transformations of the monument.

Throughout the visitor route, the castle itself becomes the thread that ties the story together. Its rooms, architectural spaces and the traces left by centuries are brought into dialogue with models, projections, illustrations and audio narratives. The exhibition combines architecture with historical sources to offer a contemporary, accessible and nuanced interpretation of a thousand years of history.

The visitor route is structured around three key questions:

Why such a large castle?
From the first tower built around 950 to the work undertaken by Otto I of Grandson, the first chapter tells the story of the rise of an important Vaudois dynasty and the construction of a fortress at the heart of a vast territory.

How did Grandson make history?
The second chapter takes visitors to the heart of the Burgundian Wars: the siege of the castle, the Battle of Grandson on 2 March 1476, Charles the Bold and the division of a treasure that became legendary.

Who still needs a castle?
The final chapter follows the transformations of the monument, from the Bernese and Fribourg bailiffs to private owners and, finally, the foundations that ensure its preservation and transmission today.

Projections, models, illustrations, voices and musical compositions bring the different periods to life. Inspired by the chronicles of Diebold Schilling, the contemporary visual language reinterprets the forms and colours of the 15th century.

The exhibition also examines these narratives in light of the historical sources through which they have been passed down. In particular, it places the Burgundian Wars within their European context and explores the myths that have developed around these events.

The main visitor route is particularly suited to families with children aged 8 and over. For children aged 2 to 8, nine animals guide them along a sensory trail featuring wooden discovery boxes designed to encourage exploration and discovery.

Visitors wishing to explore the exhibition in greater depth will also find additional content on the architecture, historical sources and techniques presented.

Thanks to a lift and several platform lifts, around 80% of the visitor route is accessible to people with reduced mobility.