Museums

One strength of Bruges' museum collections is its great diversity, from the Flemish primitives to contemporary art, from the classic 'fine arts' to archaeological excavations, furniture, silverware, folklore and so on.

In short, there's something for everybody.

Bruggemuseum - Gruuthuse

Dijver 17 | B-8000 Bruges
In the luxurious Gruuthuse city palace you are welcomed royally. Gruuthuse holds all kinds of objects that refer to life between the 15th and the 19th centuries. One of its main assets is the Room of honour with its tapestries, impressing fire-place and richly decorated timber: they all remind of the luxury and wealth of the Lords of Gruuthuse.

Due to restoration works, not all rooms of the museum are open. Until 2011 you can visit the temporary exhibition 'From A[lbaster] to Z[inc]'. After the second phase of the restoration, all the rooms will be open for visits again.

Bruggemuseum - Welcome Church of Our Lady

Mariastraat | B-8000 Bruges
The Onthaalkerk O.L.V., with its 122-metre brick steeple, dominates the skyline of the city. It is quite literally the ‘high spot’ of the stonemason’s art in medieval Bruges. The church also plays host to a rich collection of art treasures, of which the crowning glory is defi nitely the beautiful ‘Madonna and Child’ by Michelangelo. The choir aisle is also a treasure trove of exceptional pieces: paintings and exquisite woodcarving, the 16th-century ceremonial tombs of Maria of Burgundy and Charles the Bold, as well as other painted tombs from the 13th and 14th centuries, etc.

Bruggemuseum - Gezelle

Rolweg 64 | B-8000 Bruges
Discover more about the work of the famous Flemish writer, Guido Gezelle, in the house where he was born. In addition to a glimpse into his life and work, explore temporary presentations about the art of the written word. Next to the house lies a romantic garden, featuring ‘The Man Who Gives Fire’ by Jan Fabre.

Memling in Sint-Jan

Mariastraat 38 | B-8000 Bruges
The St. John’s Hospital (now Memling in Sint-Jan - Hospital Museum) is one of the oldest preserved hospital buildings in Europe. The museum gives a moving impression of what life was like in a medieval hospital ward. Numerous pieces of furniture, silverwork, pewter, paintings, statues, etc. evoke images of the care of bodies and souls that took place right here, throughout the centuries. The hospital chapel is a virtual monument to the artistic genius of Hans Memling. This 15th-century artist created many of his greatest works for the St John’s Hospital, including his famous St. Ursula Shrine. In the attic, visitors can admire one of the oldest monumental roof truss systems in the world, while the old apothecary chamber and the herb garden are also well worth a visit.

Fine Arts - Groeninge Museum

Dijver 12 | B-8000 Bruges
This museum offers a rich and fascinating array of (primarily) Belgian artworks. Highlights include the world-famous collection of works by the Flemish Primitives, paintings by various Renaissance and Baroque masters, several interesting pieces from the Neo-classical and Realistic periods of the 18th and 19th centuries, milestones from the Symbolist and Modernist movements, masterpieces by the Flemish Expressionists and a varied selection of Post-1945 modern art. Artists such as Bram Bogart, Hieronymus Bosch, Jean Brusselmans, Petrus Christus, Emile Claus, Gerard David, Paul Delvaux, Gustave De Smet, James Ensor, Fernand Khnopff, René Magritte, Hans Memling, Constant Permeke, Pieter Pourbus, Roger Raveel, Hugo van der Goes, Rogier van der Weyden, Gustave van de Woestyne, Jan van Eyck, Rik Wouters and many others are all exhibited in regularly changing displays.
^{Source: www.brugge.be}