Museum of Folk Life, Brugge

Museum of Folk Life, Brugge

The Museum of Folk Life or the Volkskunde in Brugge shows visitors how the people of the city lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is centrally located near the Jerusalem Church and has displays that will interest visitors of all ages.

The museum is housed in eight 17th century whitewashed houses that belonged to the Almshouse of the Shoemaker’s Guild. Recently a modern extension was added. In all, the museum covers 15 rooms, each showing a different aspect of the everyday life of households and professionals in times gone by.

The Museum of Folk Life features a class in a primary school, a cooper or barrel maker’s workshop, a hat maker’s workshop, a cobbler’s shop, an inn, a typical Flemish home, a dressmaker’s shop and a confectionary. A new section has been added recently dedicated to the history of textiles, lace and lace making. The inn is a functioning one called the De Zwarte Kat or the Black Cat Pub and beer is available on tap. On Thursdays, the confectionery serves sweets and cakes, made using traditional techniques and recipes. In summer, adults and children are encouraged to play traditional games in the garden. The Museum hosts an annual festival called the Mid-Winter Festival that is a popular attraction in Brugge.

Why You Should Visit:
Very well laid out museum with good explanations in 4 languages; a perfect attraction as you can go through every room at your own pace and there are lots of interactive features to investigate.
The nice, old, buildings have modern extensions which lead to the garden area (good to sit in for a picnic or play games). As a plus, the 'Black Cat' serves good beer & snacks at very good prices.

Tip:
Best taken in as part of a walk to the canals & windmills in the lesser visited St. Anne's district of Brugge.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Brugge. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Museum of Folk Life on Map

Sight Name: Museum of Folk Life
Sight Location: Brugge, Belgium (See walking tours in Brugge)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery

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