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26 October 2026

New Temporary Exhibition – Relics of the Future

From 17 September 2026 to 25 April 2027, Chillon Castle will be presenting Relics of the Future, a temporary exhibition created in partnership with ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne. Projects by Graphic Design, Photography, Media & Interaction Design Bachelor’s students and Type Design Master’s students transform the historic monument into living material for a new generation.

ECAL x CHILLON

From 17 September 2026 to 25 April 2027, Chillon Castle will be presenting Relics of the Future, a temporary exhibition created in partnership with ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne. Projects by Graphic Design, Photography, Media & Interaction Design Bachelor’s students and Type Design Master’s students transform the historic monument into living material for a new generation.

ECAL makes Chillon its modern, creative playground

Designed as modern artworks telling the story of our current view of the castle, the pieces on display question how heritage is passed down, transformed and continues to inspire.

Students used its rooms, objects, texts, materials and atmosphere to create visual proposals blending past, present and the imaginary. Visitors will find a selection of the projects created especially by ECAL on display throughout the castle.

 

A different approach for each department:

From pictorial motifs to moving images, by way of stone script and photographic narration, the projects on display offer many different ways of interpreting Chillon’s heritage:

“Mirrored Motifs” by the Bachelor of Graphic Design students – Room 18

Shapes, motifs, painted decor, coats of arms and traces of the castle serve as the starting point for printed, fragmented and reconstructed compositions.

“Castle Life” by the Bachelor of Photography students – Room 24

Chillon’s spaces are transformed into narrative scenes where characters, accessories and imaginary situations offer a personal perspective on the site.

“Parallel Chronicles” by the Bachelor of Media & Interaction Design students – Room 31

Animations create a visual universe where the past, future, and the imagination coalesce.

“Scripta Manent” by the Master of Type Design students – Room 33

Students carve inscriptions into the stone, each letter an imprint – from ancient references to modern typography.

Relics of the Future offers an experience at the intersection between history, modern art and design. Here, heritage is not simply something to be preserved – it is alive, open to the perspectives, actions and creations of each passing era.

The exhibition is complemented by a diverse program of events, designed for all ages, that invites visitors to rediscover Chillon’s heritage through the lens of contemporary art.

On the program: guided tours in French by reservation, creative workshops, as well as special events for Swiss Castles Day on October 4 and the Family at the Museum weekend on November 7 and 8, 2026.

Visitors can discover the Relics of the Future exhibition from 17 September 2026 to 25 April 2027.

Further reading

Quiz on the collections

To learn more about the monument and its historical artefacts, we invite you to take our quiz.

Chillon Bazaar: an eyewitness to tourism on the banks of Lake Geneva

Just opposite Chillon Castle, you’ll find a gift shop. But not just any gift shop. The history of this building dates back to the golden age of Swiss tourism, when middle-class European families would sojourn to the banks of Lake Leman, near Montreux in the canton of Vaud.

The Chillon Castle guest book

For over 60 years, the castle guest book has kept a record of some of the famous faces who have paid us a visit from the politics, art, sport and media worlds.
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