Malmundarium

About the museum

The history of the site goes back to 648, when the Benedictine monk Remacle and a few companions settled in a region that was still wild. The monasteries of Malmedy and Stavelot together formed an abbey principality that lasted more than 1,100 years, until the French Revolution.

The monastery then lost its religious function and passed into the hands of the French regime, then the Prussian regime in 1815 and the German regime in 1870, which altered the buildings as they pleased. The present buildings date from the early 18th century. Several excavation campaigns have uncovered remains from the whole life of the monastery, from its foundation in the 7th century to the departure of the monks at the end of the 18th century.

In 1985 the Town of Malmedy acquired the whole complex, with support from the Walloon Region, to make it a cultural and tourist resource and to restore its role as the historic heart of the town. Renamed Malmundarium, the monastery now offers 3,000 m² spread across the ground floor and the attic: history (historium, cathedral treasury), folklore (carnival workshop), former local industries (leather and paper workshops) and temporary exhibitions.

Highlights

• Carnival workshop: immersion in the Malmedy folklore of the “Cwarmê”
• Leather and paper workshops, two former industries of Malmedy
• Cathedral treasury
• Timeline of Malmedy's history in the attic
• Cloister and inner courtyard of the former monastery

Permanent exhibitions

• Historium : la ligne du temps de Malmedy – In the attic a chronological route traces the history of Malmedy, the town of the Cwarmê.
• Ateliers du cuir, du papier et du carnaval – The workshops present two former regional industries, leather and paper, as well as the Malmedy carnival.
• Trésor de la cathédrale – Presentation of the cathedral treasury in the former monastery.

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of the month: free admission.

The ticket gives access to the whole Malmundarium for the entire day. School groups: €3 per pupil; teachers on presentation of their card: €3. Guided tours for schools: €50 per group (full visit) or €30 (one workshop), plus €3 per person.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: not available
• Audio description: no information

Assessed by Access-i as accessible for wheelchair users to visit independently: step-free main entrance, an indoor platform lift for the two steps on the ground-floor route, a lift to the upstairs exhibitions, and adapted toilets. Car park P10 is about 130 m from the entrance, and a drop-off point is available near the door. There is no portable induction loop and no easy-read materials. Guide dogs and assistance dogs are welcome.

Kids & families

Family card at €15; free from 0 to 5 years.

Getting there & parking

By car: motorway E42, exit 11.

Amenities & dining

Wi-Fi is provided for room hirers.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Five flexible spaces in the former monastery: the chapter house, an inner courtyard with a partial canopy, the cloister, the vivier room (fishpond room, unavailable until December 2027) and the Robert Christophe room. Large free car park at the rear. Contact: salles@malmundarium.be.

Plan your visit