100 œuvres qui racontent le climat

At the Château de Brest, the museum presents an exceptional painting: "The Glaciers, Kara Sea", created in 1906 by Russian painter, writer, and polar explorer Alexandre Sergejewitsch Borisoff (1866–1934). This artwork is displayed alongside several pieces from the Musée national de la Marine and the French Navy, creating a dialogue between art, science, and history. The exhibition invites visitors to rediscover the significant role of the port of Brest in polar exploration, both historically and in contemporary times. 

Since the 1930s, with expeditions led by Commander Charcot, Brest has been a pivotal polar port. Today, it continues this legacy as the headquarters of the French Polar Institute Paul-Émile Victor (IPEV), responsible for managing French scientific bases in the Arctic and Antarctic. Additionally, the harbor is home to the metropolitan support and assistance vessel (BSAM) Rhône of the French Navy, which has conducted missions in the Far North and navigated the Kara Sea since 2018, as well as the polar oceanographic vessel Persévérance.

The Musée d'Orsay has selected 100 masterpieces from its collection that “tell the story of the climate” and, from March to July 2025, invites museums across all regions of France to host one or more of these works. Sculpture, graphic arts, painting, photography, architectural drawings, and decorative arts—these 100 emblematic pieces recount the history of the climate since the mid-19th century. Of these, 49 will be displayed in 31 institutions across 12 regions of France, through thematic exhibitions, guided tours, lectures, and workshops open to all audiences.