Museum of Photography in Charleroi, Photography museum in Mont-sur-Marchienne, Belgium
The Museum of Photography in Charleroi occupies a restored Carmelite convent and displays works from an extensive photography collection. The building contains exhibition spaces, a specialized library, and archival storage for prints and negatives spanning many decades.
The museum was founded in the 1980s by George and Jeanne Vercheval and underwent major architectural renovation in the 1990s. Later expansions brought contemporary additions to the historic convent structure.
The museum occupies a former Carmelite convent, showing how religious architecture has been repurposed for contemporary art. Visitors walk through spaces that once served spiritual purposes and now hold collections that speak to visual culture and personal expression.
The museum is accessible by lift and includes a cafe and shop for visitors to use during their stay. The setting within a large park makes it easy to spend several hours exploring at a comfortable pace.
A 2008 extension features cross-laminated timber as a bold structural element, showcasing sustainable building methods. This addition reveals how contemporary design choices were integrated into the historic complex.
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