Écomusée du Viroin

About the museum

The ecomuseum occupies the château-farm of Treignes, built in the early 16th century as a defensive tower asserting seigneurial power. In the 17th and 18th centuries the complex gradually became a working farm, with stables, servants' quarters, the family home and a dairy. In 1979 an arson attack destroyed the large barn; only ruins and a few photos remain.

Bought in 1983 by the Université libre de Bruxelles, the château-farm was restored over about ten years and became the Écomusée du Viroin. Since then the buildings and green spaces have been protected as heritage of Wallonia. The museum draws on scientific research carried out with the ULB, a large collection of tools, furniture, farm machinery and posters, and on events and educational activities.

The visit covers rural life in the Viroin valley and rural society between the 18th and 20th centuries. From a reconstructed village square, visitors discover the workshops of typical crafts of the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse region (cooper, shoemaker, clogmaker, blacksmith, spinner), an industrial clog workshop from the early 20th century, a bread oven, a farm machinery trail and a landscape interpretation centre. The ecomuseum is also the gateway to the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse National Park.

Highlights

• Reconstructed village square with the cooper's, shoemaker's, clogmaker's and blacksmith's workshops
• Mechanised clog workshop with machines over a century old that still work
• Clog-making demonstrations on machines from the early 20th century
• Period bread oven, forge and farm machinery trail
• Landscape interpretation centre, gateway to the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse National Park
• 16th-century château-farm, a protected site

Permanent exhibitions

• Les métiers d'autrefois – A reconstructed village square and the workshops of the main traditional crafts of Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse, with thousands of tools, panels and videos.
• Saboterie industrielle – An industrial clog workshop from the early 20th century, a witness to the industry that made Viroinval prosperous.

Operated by

Université libre de Bruxelles

Admission & discounts

The permanent exhibition ticket also gives access to the temporary exhibition. The museum accepts, among others, the Museum Pass, VisitWallonia, EducPass, the 365.be card, the Prof card, the Press card, ICOM and Article 27.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Only the ground floor of the museum is accessible to people with reduced mobility.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Baby changing facilities

A baby area with a changing table and potties. Family activity: decorating a small wooden clog. Educational workshops for schools and groups.

Getting there & parking

The museum holds the “Bienvenue vélo” (Cycling welcome) label.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Souvenir shop with publications from Éditions D.I.R.E., books on local heritage and handicrafts.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit