Openluchtmuseum Bokrijk

Om museet

The museum lies on the Bokrijk Provincial Estate, an area that came into the hands of the Cistercian nunnery of Herkenrode in 1252. After the French period the estate changed owners often. In 1938 the province of Limburg bought it. In 1953 the provincial executive decided to set up an open-air museum there; in 1954 the museum was officially founded under Jozef Weyns, its first curator. On 12 April 1958 it opened its doors.

The aim was to save threatened buildings of cultural-historical value. Dilapidated houses, farms and barns from across Flanders were dismantled one by one and rebuilt on the estate. This created museum sections, each representing a region, such as the Kempen, Haspengouw, East and West Flanders and the Oude Stad. The collection comprises some 140 historic buildings, mainly farms and barns from the late 17th to the late 19th century, supplemented by a smithy, a school, a church, an inn and a street of townhouses. The oldest building dates from 1507. As legislation no longer allows protected buildings to be moved, the collection is no longer growing.

Besides the buildings, the museum holds thousands of tools and everyday objects from the 17th century to 1950. Visitors can see crafts, visit the animals on the museum farm and take part in workshops. The museum is part of a broader recreational estate that includes an arboretum, an open-air playground and the cycle path Fietsen door het Water.

Højdepunkter

• Some 140 historic buildings from across Flanders in one place
• Museum sections such as the Kempen, Haspengouw, East and West Flanders and the Oude Stad
• Live craftsmanship and workshops where you make something yourself
• Duifhuis museum farm with animals
• Inns serving regional Flemish dishes inside the museum
• Free open-air playground, arboretum and Fietsen door het Water on the same estate

Permanent udstilling

• Openluchtmuseum – Some 140 historic buildings from Flanders, spread across museum sections such as the Kempen, Haspengouw and the Oude Stad, show how people lived and worked from the 17th century to 1950.

Grundlagt

1958

Ejer

vzw Het Domein Bokrijk

Entrépriser & rabatter

Standard rate €17 for young people and adults aged 13 to 59. Free admission is available to, among others, Bokrijk subscription holders, museumPASSmusées holders, ICOM card holders, Riebedebie pass holders, Klasse teacher card holders (cardholder only), journalists with a valid press card and carers of people with a disability. The museum pass is not valid during the winter event Winteravonden. The open-air playground, the arboretum, the Geuren- en Kleurentuin and Fietsen door het Water are free to access. With the NMBS Discovery Ticket you travel by train with 40% off. Payment is also possible with a Visit Limburg cheque.

Tilgængelighed

• Delvis kørestolsvenlig
• Elevator: ingen oplysninger
• Handicaptoilet
• Handicapparkering
• Servicehunde tilladt
• Taktile tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
• Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger

The paths in the open-air museum are paved so that wheelchairs can get through; the historic houses have wheelchair-friendly access wherever possible. The Haspengouw section is less accessible because of cobbled roads. Mobility scooters may travel at a maximum of 5 km/h. A limited number of wheelchairs can be reserved and collected free of charge at the Information Centre (+32 11 26 53 15). All sanitary blocks have an accessible toilet. There are free spaces for people with a disability at Parking 1 and Parking 2. The free app offers practical information with adjustable text size.

Børn og familie

Velegnet til børn og familier

• Familieomvisninger & workshops
• Opgavehæfte, skattejagt eller audioguide for børn
• Interaktive stationer
• Barnevognsvenlig
• Legeplads / legehjørne
• Børnefødselsdage

Families can follow the family expedition with Cisse, a treasure hunt through the museum (in 2026 from 1 July to 8 November). There are workshops where children make things, a museum farm with animals and a large free open-air playground. The 4.5 km cycle path Fietsen door het Water is accessible with a buggy. Children's parties can be booked (from €13 per child).

Transport & parkering

Both car parks have bicycle racks and charging points for e-bikes. Validate your parking ticket at the Information Centre by Parking 1.

Service & spisesteder

• Café
• Restaurant
• Museumsbutik

In the open-air museum: the inns Herberg In Sint-Gummarus, Herberg In den Dolfijn and Herberg De Kleinaert, and bakery Bakkerswinkel Goesting. On the estate outside the museum: Bartizan and Hof van Gaby, and in season the Heide Atelier ice cream kiosk and summer bars. Bringing your own picnic is allowed at the picnic spots and in the museum's picnic barns. There is no cash machine on the estate. Dogs on a lead are welcome, except in the animal yard of Duifhuis, in the De sixties exhibition and in the toddler and preschool village of the playground.

Arrangementer & udlejning

• Lokaler til leje
• Firmaarrangementer

Bokrijk can be hired for family days and staff parties; workshop spaces can be rented in Bokrijk Castle.

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