Maison Van Gogh

About the museum

The house in Cuesmes, now called Maison Van Gogh or “maison du Marais”, lies in the Borinage, a coal-mining region where Vincent van Gogh stayed from December 1878 to October 1880. He arrived there as a lay preacher, but his commitment to the miners and their families was not renewed by the evangelisation committee. In 1879 he settled in Cuesmes and worked voluntarily with the pastor Édouard Francq, in the building that then served as a Protestant church.

In June 1880 he rented a room from the mine foreman Charles Decrucq, in an annex that no longer exists. It was there, encouraged by his brother Théo, that he chose to become an artist. He copied prints and taught himself drawing with manuals before leaving for Brussels in October 1880. The Borinage left a lasting mark on his work: it shows the everyday life of workers, peasants and weavers.

The house nearly disappeared: abandoned for almost a century, it was saved from ruin by volunteers in the 1970s and bought by the City of Mons in 1976. It is now run by the museum hub of the City of Mons.

Highlights

• House where Van Gogh lived in 1880 and decided to become an artist
• Reproductions of his rare works from the Borinage period
• Interactive display with his letters written in Wasmes, Cuesmes and Brussels
• Reconstruction of the house's interior and a film at the end of the visit
• Scenography in French, Dutch and English

Permanent exhibition

• Parcours permanent dans la Maison Van Gogh – Reception pavilion and house with reproductions of Van Gogh's Borinage works, letters, books of the period, a reconstructed interior and a film.

Operated by

Ville de Mons (Pôle muséal)

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of the month

Schools: free for nursery and for primary and secondary education in the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (€3 per pupil from outside the Fédération). The museumPASSmusées gives access to the museum. The Mons Card offers discounts (24 hours).

Accessibility

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

The museum states that it is accessible to people with reduced mobility, with a car park and accessible toilets. Assistance dogs for blind and visually impaired visitors are admitted.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Bicycle racks in front of the museum; a parking space for people with reduced mobility.

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