Mons Memorial Museum

About the museum

The Mons Memorial Museum has been housed since 2015 in the Machine à Eau, an industrial building on the boulevard Dolez. This pumping station, built in 1870–1871 by the Mons architect Joseph Hubert, supplied the city with drinking water from 1871 to 1961. It formed part of Mons's large modernisation programme after the demolition of the fortifications and the drainage project of engineer Jules Drion. The main building was decommissioned in 1974, listed in 1977, restored in the early 1990s by the neighbouring National Bank, and bought by the City of Mons in 1996.

The museum is a society museum that invites reflection on the phenomenon of war. Over about 1,200 m², the permanent route traces the military history of the Mons region from the Middle Ages to the Second World War, in the light of international events. Objects, reconstructions and above all numerous testimonies, diaries and letters from soldiers and civilians guide the visit.

The route has three main parts: the Ancien Régime and the 19th century, with the fortifications, sieges and occupations; the First World War, with the Battle of Mons in 1914, the occupation and the liberation on 11 November 1918; and the period 1940–1945, with the occupation, the resistance, the persecutions and the liberation of the city in September 1944.

The museum sits at the heart of a memorial landscape and suggests ways to explore the Saint-Symphorien military cemetery and other places of remembrance in the region. It is run by the museum hub of the City of Mons.

Highlights

• Permanent route of 1,200 m² on the military history of Mons
• Sections on 1914–1918 and 1940–1945, with many personal testimonies
• Listed industrial building, the former Machine à Eau of 1871
• Timelines for children, the ‘MRubans’
• Starting point for the Saint-Symphorien military cemetery

Permanent exhibition

• Parcours permanent – Military history of Mons from the Middle Ages to the Second World War, with sections on 1914–1918 and 1940–1945 and many personal testimonies.

Founded

2015

Operated by

Ville de Mons (Pôle muséal)

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of the month

The entry ticket is a combined ticket for the permanent route and the temporary exhibition currently on show. The museumPASSmusées gives access to the museum. The Mons Card offers discounts (24 hours).

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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

The museum states that it is fully accessible to people with reduced mobility: lift, access ramp and accessible toilets; walking sticks with seats and wheelchairs are available at reception.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Two free booklets, ‘Les petits guides des explorateurs de mémoire’, help children discover the museum and the Saint-Symphorien cemetery; in each section there are timelines for children (the ‘MRubans’). The Dynamusée education service offers family Sundays, storytelling nights, after-school care and holiday courses for children aged 4 to 12.

Getting there & parking

Bicycle racks in front of the museum. Mons station is 1,300 metres away.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

The museum hub of the City of Mons rents rooms at several of its sites, with a rental brochure; hire can be combined with a visit. The museum also offers tours for corporate groups.

Plan your visit