The Château de Versailles has unveiled a major exhibition celebrating the 20th anniversary of Sofia Coppola’s cult 2006 film Marie Antoinette. Running from September 22, 2026, through January 24, 2027, at the Petit Trianon, the presentation marks the first time in the palace’s history that an entire exhibition is dedicated to a single motion picture. Conceived in close collaboration with Coppola, the showcase displays the film’s craftsmanship, aesthetic choices, and lasting impact on cinema, fashion, and contemporary culture.
Co-curated by Laurent Salomé, Director of the National Museum of the Châteaux de Versailles and Trianon, and Hélène Delalex, Chief Heritage Curator in charge of Marie Antoinette’s apartments, the exhibition transforms the Petit Trianon into an intimate look behind the scenes. Led by Coppola alongside production designer Scott Dougan, the exhibition infuses the historic venue with a lighthearted “teenager takeover” atmosphere while preserving the natural state of the estate.
The exhibition traces the film’s complete creative journey from initial concept to set design and costuming through a vast array of original artifacts, including the initial mood boards, annotated scripts, handwritten dialogue, casting sheets, and set construction plans from production designers K.K. Barrett and Anne Seibel. Central to the presentation are more than 170 costumes created by four-time Oscar-winning designer Milena Canonero, including roughly 100 worn by Kirsten Dunst as the titular queen. These garments are displayed alongside approximately 40 custom 18th-century-inspired shoes by Manolo Blahnik, complete with their original preparatory sketches.
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In addition to physical attire, the showcase highlights the film’s elaborate set design and sensory details. Exhibits demonstrate how fragile historical spaces, such as the Queen’s Grand Apartment bedroom, were meticulously recreated at the nearby Château de Millemont, featuring a custom telescopic bed designed to adjust for camera angles. Candid behind-the-scenes photographs captured on a Contax 35mm camera by Coppola’s long-time friend Andrew Durham offer an unvarnished look at life on set. The exhibition also pays tribute to the culinary artistry of 18th-century cuisine specialist Marc Meneau, Ladurée’s signature macaron pyramids, and the deliberate anachronism of the post-punk and New Wave soundtrack curated with music producer Brian Reitzell.
Filmed over 57 days between January and April 2005 – including 19 days on location at Versailles – the movie reframed the iconic palace from a rigid monument of power into an intimate, emotionally resonant space. Coppola stated that Versailles became much more than a location during production, describing it as part of the film’s language and atmosphere, effectively functioning as a character itself. Delalex emphasized that the film’s portrayal anticipated modern youth culture and the performance of self-identity on social media, treating Marie Antoinette not as a historical villain, but as a deeply human teenager navigating isolation and public scrutiny.
The technical execution of the film plays a significant role in the exhibition’s narrative. Cinematographer Lance Acord recalled filming on 35mm motion picture film using vintage Cooke lenses and a French Aaton 35-III camera to capture the natural light and changing seasons across Trianon’s gardens. Meanwhile, supervising art director Anne Seibel and producer Ross Katz detailed the immense logistical effort required to bring Coppola’s vision to life while strictly respecting the delicate historical surroundings.
To accompany the exhibition, Coppola released the Durham-compiled photobook Making Marie Antoinette (MACK and Important Flowers) alongside a companion documentary. The behind-the-scenes film was originally shot and edited by Sofia’s late mother, Eleanor Coppola. Following Eleanor’s passing in 2024, Sofia completed the project. Making Marie Antoinette hits theaters on October 23.
