Beguine's House Museum, Bruges

Declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO, the Beguine’s House Museum is dedicated to showing visitors the lifestyle of the residents of the Beguinage in Brugge.

Beguinages consisted of small houses where communities of women lived an almost religious life without taking religious vows. These communities were found in the low countries of Belgium and have been in existence since the 13th century. Many of the women were poor widows of men who did not return from the crusades. One of the houses was converted into a museum in the 17th century when the entire Beguinage was refurbished. From 1928, the Beguinage became a functioning Benedictine convent.

The Beguine House Museum preserves the house of these female communities exactly as it was from the 13th to the early 20th centuries. A popular part of the house is the kitchen with a Leuvense Stoof or stove. This unique stove made in Louvain near Brussels that was used by Belgians for cooking until after World War II. The kitchen has furniture and beautiful tiles and the typical pots and pans used by residents of these simple dwellings. The museum also has a beautifully preserved dining and bedroom. The living room has displays of 16th-century paintings of renowned artists, Abraham Bloemaert and Jan Antoon Garemijn. Other interesting objects are lace-making tools like a spinning wheel and bobbin lace cushions used by the industrious beguines in the past.

Why You Should Visit:
To visit the beguinage is free; this museum, however, has a small €2 entry charge, which is worth paying to get an insight into the life of the original inhabitants.