One of the examples of this progressive and positive change is the Museum of the Great War of Meaux (Brie, France). The museum building in question is located approximately one kilometer from the city. There, an area of green fields and flags from numerous countries welcome us. Once inside the museum and after leaving our belongings in a locker adorned with elements of the Great War, we move on to the succession of rooms that make up the exhibition. The first part of the museum is made up of a series of corridors in which we are told the history of militarism prior to the start of the conflict. Here you can see a good number of uniforms from the cadet schools. Likewise, you can see the declarations of mobilization and two nationalist messages that were read to the soldiers.
Of these narrow corridors, which are still extremely interesting, we went to one of the main rooms of the museum. Here the visitor will be amazed by the collection of pieces that are displayed. This room shows uniforms from the United Kingdom, France and Germany during the first period of the war. In the same way, several artillery pieces are added, in which the 75 mm cannon of French origin, heavy artillery or a dovecote truck stand out (see The artillery in Verdun in Desperta Ferro Contemporánea nº 13:The Battle of Verdun , 1916 ). Surely what is most surprising is an excellent recreation of two trenches, one French and one German. It really is a spectacular realism and they are complete with everything, including machine guns.
The other rooms of the museum are all divided by theme and different aspects. One of the first is where the war propaganda is found. , in addition to several pieces of large ammunition (see «Propaganda and ideology for war» in Desperta Ferro Contemporánea #1:1914, the outbreak of the Great War ). In the same way, another is dedicated to trench art and soldier's belongings. The pieces exhibited here may be unique since there were never two alike. Virgins carved in caps, guitars created with helmets, pipes, etc. The medical and health section also has its corner. A small corner but one that impresses the public.
On the other hand, the Museum of the Great War de Meaux returns to the uniforms in different rooms. One of them shows most of the uniforms used in Europe in those years. The neutrals have their place, although the belligerents, as was evident, are the ones that occupy the most space. There are even uniforms of the various Czech volunteers who fought in the Great War with Italy, Russia or France. In the surrounding rooms you can see what we can call "war scenes", where British and American camps are recreated. It shows all kinds of material , not only the weapons, but also utensils of common use in the daily life of the troops.
The last two places in the museum are dedicated to the final part of the conflict. In one of them and in two large showcases the uniforms and weapons of the French and German armies are displayed. from the period 1917 and 1918. At the end and to reach the exit you have to go through a corridor where data on the current state of the First World War is shown, an example of this is the number of explosive devices that have been collected in France after the war, or the number of experts killed in its deactivation. After this last corridor we go out to the museum shop where we can find extremely appetizing souvenirs.
Finally, and although it is a feature found in several rooms of the museum, I must talk about the interaction that the exhibition offers. Apart from the videos that these places add, there are more things to highlight. The interactivity of the Museum of the Great War of Meaux is based mainly on touch and hearing, and obviously on sight. Regarding touch, we have several elements that we can enjoy. The first of them is a mannequin in full uniform. In it we can touch the fabrics of the uniform, the helmet, the Lebel M1886 rifle, etc. Likewise, next to the mannequin we have a regulation bag from the French army that we can carry on our backs to feel what it was like to transport 30 kilos of material and equipment.
In the main room, named above, there is another element. The first of these are some holes in a simulated wall in which we can grab military remains found as grenades, helmets and bottles. Finally, in another of the rooms there is a magnificent detail, and that is that they have represented the interior of a German trench shelter. When we enter we can see the improvised beds and elements of trench warfare between the chiaroscuro (see The apotheosis of trench warfare in Awake Ferro Contemporary No. 13:The Battle of Verdun, 1916 ). All this set with sounds of explosions in the background to make the experience more real.
To this is added one more uniqueness. Historical recreation activities are periodically carried out around the museum. carried out by different expert associations on this subject. The recreations are exquisite since you can see materials from the time. Special mention to the fact that many conferences are also aimed at the little ones, who are often forgotten. In conclusion, the Meaux Great War Museum is a must see if one travels to France. The means of transport to it are easy and very well signposted. A highly recommended place for all lovers of Military History and the First World War.
