Photo Elysée
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Why go
- Gabriel Lippmann’s early colour photographs.
- Charlie Chaplin’s photographic archive documenting his career.
- René Burri’s archive, including contact sheets, original prints, papers and scans.
- Pierre Gilliard’s collection: photographs by the tutor to Nicholas II’s children.
Opening hours
TodayClosedShow all
Don't miss
- The Aires Mateus buildingPhoto Elysée shares this building by Portuguese architects Aires Mateus with mudac.Plateforme 10 arts district
- The shared entrance hallThe ticket office, bookshop, store and cafeteria are together in the entrance hall.Shared entrance hall
Know before you go
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday–Sunday: 10:00–18:00; Thursday: 10:00–20:00; closed Tuesday.
What's inside
- A staircase from the shared entrance hall leads to Photo Elysée’s exhibition spaces on the ground floor.
- mudac occupies the second floor of the shared building.
Tips for your visit
- Buy tickets through Photo Elysée’s website.
- Combine your visit with MCBA, the fine-arts museum in the same Plateforme 10 district.
- Photo Elysée organizes the Nuit des Images at the end of June.
- The museum has awarded the Prix Elysée since 2014.
Tours and audio guides
- Private guided exhibition visits
- Tailored to your interests
Interesting facts4
-
1985
Photo Elysée was founded in 1985 as Switzerland’s first museum devoted exclusively to photography.
Photo Elysée - Wikipedia -
The museum’s archive work includes cataloguing, digitising, restoring and protecting photographs and documents.
Photo Élysée - Wikipedia -
It supports emerging contemporary photographers, accompanying some over the long term.
Photo Élysée - Wikipedia -
It represents Switzerland in the FUTURES European Photography network with Centre de photographie Genève and Photoforum Pasquart.
The museum - Photo Elysée
Shorts
History
- 1780–1783Abraham Fraisse built the former Campagne de l’Élysée home in Ouchy for Henri de Mollins.
- 1807Mme de Staël staged performances of Andromaque at the house with Benjamin Constant and Mme Récamier.
- 1834The mansion was named l’Élysée.
- 1971The canton of Vaud bought the former home for restoration and partial conversion into a museum.
- 1980–1985The mansion housed the canton’s Collection of Prints.
Show all
- October 1985Charles-Henri Favrod founded Switzerland’s first museum devoted exclusively to photography in the mansion.
- 2017–2024The museum was selected to care for Sabine Weiss’s archive in 2017 and received it in early 2024.
- 2020Photo Elysée closed as it left its former home.
- September 2021The museum adopted the name Photo Elysée.
- 18 June 2022It opened in Plateforme 10.
Sources: Photo Élysée - Wikipedia · Museum for photography - Photo Elysée · Ticket - Photo Elysée · The museum - Photo Elysée · Photo Elysée - Wikipedia · Photo Élysée - Wikipedia · Photo Elysée: tickets (its own site) · Photo Elysée: description (its own site) · checked 1 Oct 2026
- Website
- elysee.ch/
- Phone
- +41 21 318 44 00
Questions and answers
What is Photo Elysée’s street address?
Place de la Gare 17, 1003 Lausanne.
How can I contact Photo Elysée?
+41 21 318 44 00.
Does Photo Elysée’s collection include Swiss photographers?
Yes. It includes Adolphe Braun and Hans Steiner.
Does Photo Elysée’s collection include international photographers?
Yes. It includes Robert Capa, Francis Frith and Mario Giacomelli.
Does Photo Elysée support photographers working today?
Yes. It supports emerging contemporary photographers, accompanying some over the long term.
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