Foucault. An Intellectual Journey at the Collège de France

The exhibition “Foucault: An Intellectual Adventure at the Collège de France” explores Michel Foucault’s journey at the institution where he taught from 1970 to 1984. To mark the centennial of his birth, previously unpublished manuscripts, archival materials, and audio and video recordings trace the evolution of a body of thought that remains deeply relevant today.

On April 12, 1970, the philosopher Michel Foucault (1926–1984)—the celebrated yet controversial author of Madness and Civilization and The Order of Things —was elected to the Collège de France to hold the chair in the History of Systems of Thought. This election was by no means a foregone conclusion for a scholar who had initially taught psychology but rejected disciplinary allegiances, and whose career was already marked by outbursts and strong political commitments. It marked the beginning of an intellectual journey spanning nearly fourteen years, the echoes of which can still be heard today, as evidenced by the influence of concepts such as “governmentality,” “biopolitics,” “pastoral power,” and “regime of truth.”

These lectures at the Collège de France were much more than a rough draft of his written work. They allowed him to explore new fields and test new hypotheses. Their influence began very early on with public acclaim and the free circulation of recordings and typescripts. It quickly spread beyond France’s borders, thanks to an international audience and the philosopher’s numerous stays abroad, notably in the United States, Brazil, and Japan. The posthumous publication of his lectures, followed by their translations around the world, established them as a body of work in their own right, as widely read and cited as the books published during his lifetime. They thus gave his thought an unexpected second life, as they renewed perceptions of the issues at stake in his thought and shed light on his method.

The approximately one hundred items on display—unpublished manuscripts, personal belongings, and audio and video archives—trace a dazzling international career cut short too soon, leaving behind a considerable body of scholarly work. In particular, the exhibition sheds light on the coherence and endurance of a constantly evolving body of thought that refused to be pigeonholed. It reconstructs this journey within a network of friendships and peers at the Collège de France, as well as through strategies and struggles beyond its walls, reminding us that knowledge is also a matter of power.

At the BnF

“Disorder of Discourse”
In a theatrical performance, Fanny de Chaillé brings to life The Order of Discourse , Foucault’s opening lecture—of which only a published text remains—to explore the issues surrounding discourse and thought.

Monday, October 5, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. Bibliothèque nationale de France, François-Mitterrand campus.

Credits

General Curator: Didier Fassin, Professor at the Collège de France

Scientific Curators: Philippe Chevallier, Collections Curator—Modern and Contemporary Manuscripts in the Manuscripts Department of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, and Aurèle Méthivier, Research Assistant at the Collège de France

Exhibition Design and Graphics: Stéphane Rébillon

Transportation of Artifacts: General Services, Reception, and Events Division

Collège de France:

• Thomas Römer, Administrator
• Arnaud Roffignon, Director General of Services
• Raynald Belay, Director of Academic Affairs, International Relations, and Partnerships
• Bruno Botella, Director of General Services, Hospitality, and Events
• Anne Chatellier, Director of Libraries, Archives, and Collections
• David Adjemian, Head of Press and Communications
• Lucie Robert, Head of Collection Management
• Marc Verdure, Assistant to the Director of Libraries, Archives, and Collections
• Guillaume Cassar, Graphic Designer

National Library of France:

• Gilles Pécout, President
• Philippe Lonné, Director General
• Sébastien Gaudelus, Acting Director of Collections
• Guillaume Fau, Director of the Manuscripts Department
• Laurence Le Bras, Head of the Modern and Contemporary Manuscripts Division
• Emmanuel Coquery, Director of Cultural Development and the Museum
• Claire Nénert, Director of the Museum, Exhibitions, and Events Department
• Anaïs Quinsat, Head of the Loans and Off-Site Exhibitions Section
• Lucie Vadé, External Exhibitions Coordinator
• Sylvie Ferreira, Art Handler
• Mahault Vermeulen, Assistant for Off-Site Exhibitions
• Patrick Belaubre, Director of Communications
• Elodie Vincent, Head of the Press and Media Partnerships Department

With the support of: The Hugot Foundation of Collège de France, the Michel-Foucault Center, and Éditions du Seuil

Media Partners: France Culture, L’histoire, and Télérama

Special thanks to: Ms. Elisabeth Badinter and Ms. Coralie Piton