At the Nantes History Museum, an exhibition explains how the Mongols changed the world under Genghis Khan

The credo of Emperor Genghis Khan: unify territories rather than divide them to rule better. The exhibition “How the Mongols changed the world” can be seen at the Château des ducs de Bretagne.

The long-awaited exhibition on Genghis Khan and the Mongols finally opened its doors last October at the Château des ducs de Bretagne, in Nantes, despite numerous attempts at censorship by the Chinese authorities in 2020. There is still time, until the 5th May, for visitors, to come and immerse themselves in the heart of a culture dating back eight centuries.

A total of 450 objects are on display, of which 300 have been loaned by the Chinggis Khaan National Museum of Mongolia. Little treasures which, for the majority of them are crossing the West for the first time. The exhibition Genghis Khan: How the Mongols Changed the World is recognized as “of national interest” by the Ministry of Culture.

For many Mongolian nationals in France, this exhibition is of particular importance. Oyun-Erdene Yalsan, a mother originally from Mongolia and living in Paris, came specially to share her culture with her daughter. “She already knew a few words, the traditional outfits, but the wrestlers, sports and traditional Naadam festivals were new to her.”

At its peak, the Mongol Empire controlled more than 22% of the earth’s land area. Today, this culture has become a minority, but it continues to fascinate and attract those who seek to discover its riches. As proof, this exhibition has attracted 200,000 visitors since October, who have come to discover a part of the history little known to the general public.

After years of conflict between the Mongol tribes who populated Eurasia, from the Polish border to Korea, the year 1206 marked a historic turning point thanks to Genghis Khan. He managed to unify these tribes into an alliance, triggering a territorial expansion of unprecedented scale. He is at the origin of one of the largest empires of all time.

Genghis Khan is often seen as a ruthless conqueror. But more than that, he showed how a people uniting through religious tolerance and commercial exchanges could turn several divided territories into a world power. This is what the exhibition demonstrates Genghis Khan: chow the Mongols changed the world at the Nantes History Museum.

Exposure “Genghis Khan: chow the Mongols changed the world”, until 5 may at the History Museum of Nantes-Château des ducs de Bretagne. Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., every day except Mondays.