Museums & culture

Clervaux Castle

2 min read

Whitewashed walls and pointed towers of Clervaux Castle in the northern Ardennes

Clervaux Castle rises white and turreted above the town where the Clerve river loops back on itself. First built around 1198 by Count Gerard of Sponheim, expanded through the 17th century and gutted by fire during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, it was fully rebuilt in the 1950s. Today it houses three separate collections under one roof, including a small Battle of the Ardennes museum and a display of scale models of every castle in Luxembourg.

The real reason to come, though, is The Family of Man — a UNESCO Memory of the World collection of 503 photographs by 273 artists, curated by Luxembourg-born Edward Steichen for MoMA in 1955 and permanently installed here since 1994. The exhibition rooms are staged like a photographic essay on humanity, with the images grouped by theme rather than photographer. Allow at least an hour just for that. Trains from Luxembourg City run hourly and take 55 minutes.

Hours

Family of Man Wed-Sun 12:00-18:00

Castle model exhibition daily 10:00-18:00 (Mar-Dec)

Closed Mon-Tue for the photo museum

Frequently asked questions

What is the entry fee?

Family of Man exhibition $7 adult, $5 student/senior, free under 21. Combined ticket with the castle-model museum is $9.

Are there free entry days?

Free for everyone on International Museum Day (18 May) and European Heritage Days in September. Always free with the LuxembourgCard.

How long do I need?

About 60-75 minutes for The Family of Man and 30 minutes for the model and war exhibits. Plan 2 hours total in the castle.

When is it closed?

The Family of Man is closed Mondays and Tuesdays year-round, and the whole castle closes in January and February.

Do I need to book tickets?

No online booking required. Tickets are sold at the desk inside the main entrance and rarely sell out.

How far is the train station?

Clervaux station is 800 m from the castle — about a 10-minute uphill walk via Grand-Rue and Montée du Château, or 4 minutes with the elevator behind the church.