Museums and galleries in Bruges

Bruges' cultural heritage spans from the Flemish Primitives to specialized collections. The Groeninge Museum houses masterpieces by Jan van Eyck, while the Church of Our Lady contains Michelangelo’s marble Madonna and Child. Historic sites like the 12th-century St. John’s Hospital and the Gruuthuse Museum offer insights into medieval medicine and applied arts. Unique local traditions are preserved at the Lace Center and the Friet Museum, while the Gent Gate explores the city’s medieval defensive architecture.

Museums & Galleries — Map

TMart / CC BY-SA 3.0

A

Church of Our Lady

Historic Gothic church renowned for its towering architecture and significant religious artworks, including Michelangelo's marble Madonna and Child.

Jacob van Oost (I) / Public domain

B

Groeninge Museum

Art museum showcasing six centuries of Belgian and Flemish art, including works by early Netherlandish painters and modern artists.

Jean-Pol GRANDMONT / CC BY 3.0

C

The St. John’s Hospital Museum

The Hospital of St. John was a medieval hospital in Bruges. It was founded in the mid-12th century.

Julien Bertrand / Public domain

D

Gruuthuse Museum

The Gruuthusemuseum is a museum of applied arts in Bruges, located in the medieval Gruuthuse, the house of Louis de Gruuthuse.

GeorgHH / CC-BY-SA-3.0

E

Historium

Located in a Neo-Gothic building on the Market Square, this museum uses immersive film and themed rooms to recreate life in 15th-century Bruges.

Otto Cusanus / CC BY-SA 4.0

F

Madonna of Bruges

The Madonna of Bruges is a marble sculpture by Michelangelo of the Virgin and Child.

carlossalas / CC-BY-SA

G

Jan van Eyck

Jan van Eyck was a Flemish painter active in Bruges who was one of the early innovators of what became known as Early Netherlandish…

Zeisterre / CC BY-SA 3.0

H

Friet Museum

The Frietmuseum is a museum in Bruges, Belgium, which is devoted to the history of potatoes and the production of Belgian fries.

Paul Hermans / CC BY-SA 3.0

I

Our Lady of the Pottery

A former chapel of the potter's guild and an architectural gem. Nowadays it houses the pottery museum and religious objects.

Davidh820 / CC BY-SA 3.0

J

Beguine's House Museum

One of the houses in Beguinage shows the daily life of the religious community. The kitchen holds the traditional Leuvense Stoof.

CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / CC BY-SA 3.0

K

Gent Gate

One of the four gates that served as an entry point to the city in the Middle Ages. Looks different from inside and from outside.

MJJR / CC BY 3.0

L

Frank Brangwyn-Arentshuis

Housed in an 18th-century mansion, this museum displays works by the British-born artist Frank Brangwyn, including paintings, etchings, and furniture designs.

ArtProf / CC BY-SA 3.0

M

The Lace Center

Lacing is the traditional art of Bruges. The centre houses an exhibiton on laces and also offers lace-making courses.

VWAmFot / CC BY-SA 3.0

N

Lumina Domestica

A curious little museum that is devoted to the history of lamps and lightning and the world's largest lamp collection.

Bram Hendrickx / CC BY-SA 3.0

O

Bizon

Bronze bison sculptures created by Octave Rotsaert, situated on the Canadabrug to commemorate the liberation of Bruges by Canadian troops during World War II.

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