HEY Museum

About the museum

HEY Museum is the new form of the former local history museum Sincfala. In 1960 the Geschied- en Heemkundige Kring Sint-Guthago set up a polder museum in Lissewege. In 1969 it moved to the old school in Heist and was given the name Heemkundig Museum Sincfala for polder and fishing; for a long time it was run by a vzw. In the first years, volunteers collected agricultural and fishing tools that threatened to disappear as a result of technical developments.

From 1998 the display was completely renewed, with a permanent exhibition on the Zwin region and on the development of a fishing and rural community into a tourist seaside resort. In 2006 a new exhibition space of 300 m² was added. In 2022 the thoroughly renewed museum opened with a new hall, a renovated pavilion and a studio, with the emphasis on the past, present and future of Knokke-Heist. In 2024 the old school building was reopened with festivities.

The museum site consists of four buildings around a central garden: the hall with a 360° projection and an eleven-metre-long panoramic painting, the pavilion about the tourist highlights, a casino room from the 1960s and the old school building with fishermen's stories, local associational life and carnival. The museum has earned the quality label Erkend Museum. Through the HEY Kenniscentrum, the heritage department makes the collection accessible online.

Highlights

• Hall with 360° projection, an interactive floor plan and an eleven-metre-long panoramic painting
• Pavilion about the tourist history of Knokke-Heist with film, images and objects
• Casino room that evokes the nightlife of the 1960s
• Old school building with fishermen's stories, carnival in pictures and sound, and a walk of fame
• Indoor playground and treasure hunt for children; officially kidsproof (Blauw Vlekje of the Museumpas)

Permanent exhibitions

• Hal en paviljoen: Knokke-Heist en het toerisme – A 360° projection, an interactive floor plan and a panoramic painting tell of life in the seaside resort; the pavilion shows the tourist highlights with film, images and objects.
• Casino van de jaren 1960 – In this room you relive the casino scene of the 1960s, when major artists such as Frank Sinatra, Serge Gainsbourg and Jacques Brel performed there.
• Oud schoolgebouw: vissers, verenigingen en carnaval – Authentic school benches, local associational life, a walk of fame with notable residents, fishermen's stories told by real people, and carnival with immersive images and sound.

Founded

1960

Operated by

Gemeente Knokke-Heist (dienst Erfgoed)

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Residents of Knokke-Heist enter free on the first full weekend of the month.

Free admission with the Museumpas, for qualified guides who accompany a group, and for schools from Knokke-Heist.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Playground / play area

The museum has been approved by and for children (Blauw Vlekje of the Museumpas). A family booklet with assignments and facts, intended for children aged 6 to 12, is available free of charge on arrival. After the treasure hunt, children can go to the indoor playground. During the summer and at events there are creative workshops for children.

Getting there & parking

The website mentions a section on parking, without further details.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit