Excursion: The Presence of the Past

Memory and Heritage Network excursion to the House of European History in Brussels.

On 8 April, 2025, a group from the Utrecht Memory and Heritage Network was invited to visit the exhibition and got an exclusive tour with the curator of the new temporary exhibition Presence of the Past – A European Album.

Presence of the Past is the first photographic exhibition organised by the House of European History. It reveals how Europeans engage with the past in their everyday lives. What are we searching for when we connect with history? Are we seeking an identity that goes beyond our own lives? Are we longing for social connection or political community? From processing grief and reconciling with past tragedies to entertainment and escape from the banality of everyday life, the past is part of our present.

The exhibition runs from 28 March 2025 to 11 January 2026. Admission is free.

More information and a free download of the exhibition catalogue are available here.