Here is an original approach to the Great War. The Historial puts the warring parties on a level footing using a reinterpreted and unambiguous timeline, with lots of anecdotes and evidence illustrating the daily life of those who lived through it. This international museum is a place for reflection, honour, where there is no bias because the conflict was hard on all parties regardless of which side they were on.
Here, nameless soldiers are brought to the forefront; we share their fears, their misfortune but also their bravery and their belief in mutual assistance that bonds them on the front, in the trenches but also in the background, where the business of getting on with life was happening. The museography is modern with an emphasis on works of art, often made by the soldiers themselves when on standby. Using an application intended for the 6-13-year olds, the museum enthrals children by putting them in a reporter’s shoes; they go hunting for clues in the museum and carry out an investigation that they can later send to their email addresses. This is a great way of remembering more than just the basics of the visit.
When you leave, you will walk through the “Garden of Eutychia”, an Irish and Northern Irish Garden of Peace in the moat of the castle that houses the museum.
