Visit the Bruges Historium: tickets, prices, schedules

Are you going to visit the Flanders in Belgium? Here is a must for Bruges to do: our mini guide to visit the Bruges Historium!

L’Historium Bruges is a museum that allows you to discover life as it was in Bruges in the medieval era, by plunging the visitor into the Golden Age of Bruges, at the time of the painter Jan van Eyck (1390-1441). The museum transports us in 1435, at a time when the city of Bruges is one of the largest economic centres in Western Europe. Located in a neo-Gothic building in Place Markt – Grand-Place – de Bruges, the Bruges Historium allows to relive this “gold age” of the city, where the international port was receiving and sending the goods throughout Europe, from the time of the Waterhalle a central warehouse where the ships would be moored (destroyed in 1787).

Visiting the Bruges Historium is therefore the unique opportunity to make a leap in time and to plunge into the 15th century, to trace the tedious history of the city through a love story between Anna, model of Jan van Eyck and Jacob, his apprentice. Pictures of cinema, multimedia media are realising this immersion through a virtual tour of Bruges at that time. We're not going to reveal everything to you right now!

Are you interested in visiting the Historium Bruges? You know what to do when you come to visit Bruges? Follow our little tour guide!

History of the Bruges Historium

The Historium Bruges officially opened its doors to the public on November 25, 2012. But its history dates back to six years earlier, in 2006, while the families of Western Flanders Claeys and Denolf, Vandamme and Brackx are planning to carry out the historical reconstruction of several medieval scenes in the history of Bruges. The initial goal was to bring Bruges a value added by mixing communication, technology and tourism.

The project’s supporters would soon receive the support of a first large support: a historic committee. Later, the Flemish government, the Western Flanders Province and the Flemish Tourism Office provided them with financial and logistical support. Thus was born the Bruges Historium in 2012. The museum has been growing steadily since, with the launch in 2016 of Historium Virtual Reality, and with the reception of several innovation prizes in 2017 and 2018.

What to see and do at the Bruges Historium?

Visiting the Bruges Historium is doing much more than a museum in reality. Of course, there is the museum dedicated to economic and social life as it was in Bruges 584 years ago. But there is also, at the Bruges Historium, the possibility to enjoy a breathtaking view of the current city, a 360° viewpoint on the Grand Place de Bruges and its belfry, going up to the Himtorium Tower, 35 meters high.

The Historium is a four-step course “Historium Story”, “Historium Virtual Reality”, “Historium Tower” and “Historium Exhibition”. The best thing is to start with the Historium Story.

The Historium Story literally allows you to go back to time, immersing yourself in a medieval world. The museum goes through seven rooms , each of which will be devoted to a historical theme. If you are a feru in history, this museum will rediscover what was the Golden Age of Bruges.

A l ‘Historium Virtual Reality , the visitor can discover the city of Bruges as it was in 1435 by means of an interactive visit, in a virtual reality cabin. The vision lasts eight minutes. Isn’t it fascinating to be able to contemplate the 15th century when we were born in the 20th or early 21st centuries?

The last-lasting asset of the Historium Bruges is the possibility to climb to the top floor of the building, at the top of the building neo-gothic tower : an elevation of 35 meters high that allows a unique 360° view of the Grand Place de Bruges, with its main square and its famous Beffroi. After the last piece of the History, the visitor finishes his visit by the Historium Exhibition : you will learn more about life in Bruges in the feudal era, with a discovery of the plans and fortifications of the city in the Middle Ages.

How to go to the Bruges Historium?

The four parts of the visit are independent and there is no mandatory meaning to visit the Bruges Historium. However, it is more logical to do the Historium Story first, then the Historium Virtual Reality before climbing to the top of the tower: what to compare the different eras!

The Historium Bruges is located on the Grand Place (Markt) (address: Markt 1, 8000 Bruges, Belgium ). There are three ways to go:

• By car: If you opted for the car rental When you arrive in Bruges or you have your own vehicle, you should know that you should take the Bruges exit by following the E40 or E403, then follow the N351 to the R30. Parking is indicated from the R30.
• By train: a regular link to Bruges since Antwerp, Ostend, Ghent, Courtrai, BrusselsKnokke and Blankenberge.
• By bus: You'll have to take a bus to the train station, head towards Centrum. It should be noted that with the French OUIBUS company, there are more than 5 round-trips per day on the Lille-Bruges route (from Lille Europe train station and Bruges train station, Spoorwegstraat).

Schedules and rates of the Bruges Historium

HORARI

The Bruges Historium is open daily , holidays and Sundays included, 10:00 to 6:00 . The last access is 5:00 p.m., except for the Historium Reality (17:30 p.m.).

It is recommended to book online at least one week in advance.

RATES

Rates:

A combined ticket (Historium Story, Exhibition and Virtual Reality):

• Adults: 17,50 €
• Student: 13,50 €
• Young 6-12 years old: 11 €
• Disabled: 16,50 €

Combined ticket + a glass in Duvelorium :

• Adults: 19,50 €,
• Student: 15,50 €
• Young 6-12 years old: 13 €
• Disabled: 18,50 €

Combined ticket (Historium Story + Historium Exhibition):

• Adults: 14 €

• Student: 10 €

• Young person 3-12 years old: 7,50 €

• Children under 2 years of age: free

• Disabled: 13 €

• Historium Tower: 7 €

• Historium Virtual Reality : 7 €

• Historium Story + Musée Groeninge : 22 €