Tickets can be reserved directly online. This allows you to select the date of your visit and secure your place to experience the exhibition under the best conditions.

Exhibition "Heritage in Resistance – From Timbuktu to Odessa" Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine from May 20, 2026, to January 11, 2027

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The exhibition Heritage in Resistance – From Timbuktu to Odessa explores how conflicts threaten world heritage and how communities, researchers, and institutions act to protect it. Through images, testimonies, and reconstructions, it reveals the destruction, resistance, and rebuilding of sites that embody the memory and identity of peoples.

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€13

Exhibition

Temporary Exhibition & Permanent Collections

Strong theme: heritage at risk and resilience in the face of conflict
Immersive journey: photos, films, models, and reconstructions
International scope: from Timbuktu to Odessa
Educational approach: understanding destruction, protection, and reconstruction
Human testimonies: actors engaged in preserving memory
Engaging experience: culture, emotion, and reflection combined

Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine from May 20, 2026, to January 11, 2027

€13

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What to expect

In the heart of Paris, a major exhibition invites the public to discover a reality often overlooked: the role of heritage during times of crisis and conflict. The exhibition Heritage in Resistance – From Timbuktu to Odessa offers a powerful perspective on monuments, cities, and cultural landscapes threatened by war, as well as the women and men mobilizing to protect them.

Presented at the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, this exhibition offers an engaging immersion into several regions of the world where history, culture, and architecture face extreme situations. Through a journey rich in visual documents, testimonies, and immersive installations, visitors are invited to understand why protecting heritage is essential for preserving the identity of communities.

A Journey Through Threatened Heritage

The exhibition’s path takes visitors to different territories marked by conflict. From historically rich sites such as Timbuktu in Mali to the port city of Odessa, the public discovers how monuments and cultural landscapes can sometimes become symbolic targets during wars.

Through these examples, the exhibition shows that destroying a monument does not just mean eliminating a structure. It can also represent an attempt to erase memory, traditions, and the identity of a community. Visitors thus understand that heritage is not only made of stones or buildings: it embodies the history and culture of entire populations.

To illustrate these issues, the exhibition brings together a wide variety of media. Photographs, films, maps, models, and digital reconstructions allow exploration of the sites from multiple perspectives. Some installations also provide a visual immersion that helps understand both the scale of the destruction and the efforts made to protect these places.

Understanding Heritage Destruction

One section of the exhibition highlights the mechanisms leading to the destruction of cultural heritage. In many conflicts, historic monuments and old city centers become strategic or symbolic targets. These destructions can result from bombings, deliberate acts, or looting.

Visitors discover how these phenomena can profoundly transform territories. Entire cities can lose part of their history, and some iconic sites can disappear in an instant. The exhibition thus invites reflection on the fragility of world heritage and the need to protect it.

However, the focus is not solely on destruction. The exhibition also highlights initiatives that preserve the memory of places and prepare for their reconstruction.

Resisting to Preserve Memory

Faced with threats to monuments and cultural landscapes, numerous actors mobilize. Architects, researchers, cultural organizations, and local communities work together to document sites, protect artworks, and pass on knowledge.

The exhibition shows how these initiatives take different forms: digital inventories, photographic documentation, scientific projects, or preservation programs. Thanks to current technologies, some sites can be modeled in three dimensions to maintain an accurate record of their state.

These actions reflect a collective commitment to protecting heritage despite difficulties. They also demonstrate that preserving monuments plays a crucial role in the reconstruction of societies after conflicts.

Rebuilding After Conflicts

One of the exhibition’s major themes concerns reconstruction. When fighting ends, restoring heritage becomes an important issue for local populations. Rebuilding a monument can represent much more than an architectural project: it is also a way to reclaim a part of one’s identity.

Visitors discover how certain cities and historical sites have been restored through collaboration between specialists and local craftsmen. These reconstruction projects not only bring monuments back to life but also transmit traditional skills.

By highlighting these examples, the exhibition shows that heritage can become a symbol of hope and renewal for territories affected by conflict.

An Immersive and Accessible Journey

The exhibition offers a rich and educational experience aimed at a broad audience. Visitors can explore the different sections at their own pace and take the time to discover the materials on display.

Visual installations and multimedia devices make the visit particularly immersive. They help better understand the issues related to heritage protection while discovering emblematic sites around the world.

Thanks to this accessible approach, the exhibition provides an experience that is simultaneously cultural, educational, and moving.

Practical Information to Organize Your Visit

The exhibition takes place at the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, located at Place du Trocadéro in Paris. This venue, dedicated to architecture and the history of monuments, provides an ideal setting for an exhibition focused on heritage preservation.

The exhibition is generally open every day of the week, except Tuesday. Opening hours are during the day, with a late-night opening on Thursday to allow visitors to enjoy the exhibition later.

To fully enjoy the experience, it is recommended to allow approximately one to one and a half hours for the visit. This enables visitors to explore all sections and engage with the different materials on display.

Admission Fees and Conditions

Tickets are offered at different rates to accommodate all audiences.

Full price: €13
Reduced price: €10
Free for visitors under 18

These fees allow access to the exhibition and the complete visitor journey.

Why Book Your Ticket Now?

This exhibition addresses a particularly topical subject and attracts many visitors interested in culture, history, and geopolitics. Booking in advance allows you to choose your visit date and guarantee entry.

Advance booking is also recommended during peak periods, particularly on weekends and holidays. Planning your visit ahead ensures you can enjoy the exhibition under the best conditions.

An Exhibition Not to Be Missed

With Heritage in Resistance – From Timbuktu to Odessa, the public is invited to see world heritage from a new perspective. Beyond monuments and landscapes, this exhibition tells the story of communities fighting to preserve their memory and pass on their culture.

Between discovery, reflection, and visual immersion, this cultural experience offers a unique journey through territories marked by history. A visit that reminds us how essential it is to protect heritage to understand the past and build the future.

A captivating visit to share with a group

Are you organizing an event for a group of more than 10 people?

Offer your group an inspiring discovery with the exhibition Heritage in Resistance – From Timbuktu to Odessa. Between history, architecture, and the memory of peoples, this enriching visit promises a memorable cultural moment. Fill out the form now to organize your visit.

Feel free to contact us at +33 1 48 74 05 10 for any requests.

Common questions

What is the exhibition about?

The exhibition explores the impact of conflicts on monuments, cities, and cultural landscapes. It shows how certain heritage sites are threatened or destroyed and how local and international initiatives work to protect and rebuild them.

Where is the exhibition held?

The exhibition is presented at the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, a major museum dedicated to the history and evolution of architecture.

Which regions of the world are featured in the exhibition?

The exhibition highlights several territories affected by conflicts, including Timbuktu, Odessa, as well as other areas where heritage is threatened or rebuilt after war.

Until when can the exhibition be visited?

The exhibition is accessible for several months, offering visitors the opportunity to explore this important topic on heritage protection and societal memory.

Why should you book your ticket in advance?

Online booking ensures your entry, avoids waiting on-site, and allows you to choose the date and time that best suit you.

What kind of experience does the exhibition offer?

The exhibition combines several formats: photographs, videos, testimonies, maps, models, and digital reconstructions to better understand the issues related to heritage during crises.

Is the exhibition suitable for children?

The subject matter can be complex and some content related to conflicts may be sensitive. It is therefore generally more suitable for teenagers and adults.

What will visitors learn during the visit?

Visitors will discover how heritage destruction can be used as a war strategy, as well as how researchers, architects, and local communities work to preserve the memory of these places.

Who designed this exhibition?

It was created by several specialists in architecture, politics, and heritage preservation, combining their knowledge to create an educational and accessible experience.

What types of documents are presented?

The exhibition includes archives, historical images, scientific documents, testimonies, and digital reconstructions that allow visitors to visualize sites that are sometimes damaged or lost.

Why is this exhibition important today?

It invites reflection on the role of heritage in shaping cultural identities and highlights the importance of protecting these sites in times of crisis and conflict.

How to buy tickets?

Tickets can be reserved directly online. This allows you to select the date of your visit and secure your place to experience the exhibition under the best conditions.