Musée De L’elysée

2016 Honoree / Spotlight Award

The Musée de l’Elysée is one of the world’s leading museums entirely dedicated to photography. Since its establishment in 1985, it has improved public understanding of photography through innovative exhibitions, key publications, and engaging events. Recognised as a centre of expertise in the field of conservation and enhancement of visual heritage, it holds a unique collection of more than 170,000 prints and preserves several photographic archives, in particular those of Ella Maillart, Nicolas Bouvier, Charlie Chaplin and René Burri. By supporting young photographers, offering new perspectives on the masters and confronting photography with other art forms, the Musée de l’Elysée experiments with the image. Based in Switzerland, it presents four major exhibitions in Lausanne each year and an average of fifteen in prestigious museums and festivals around the world. Regional by character and international in scope, it seeks to constantly develop new and exciting ways to interact with audiences and collaborate with other institutions.