Spa ! museum – Musée de la Ville d'eaux

About the museum

The museum is housed in the Royal Villa of Spa, first a hotel, then the residence of Queen Marie-Henriette from 1895 until her death in 1902. The building then served as a convalescent hospital during the First World War, as a home for colonial residents and, in 1944, as the headquarters of the First Army. After 1963, the municipality acquired it to house several departments, including the museum. The site, with its large garden and stables, has been listed since 1972.

The association “ Société royale d’Histoire et d’Archéologie spadoises ”, founded in 1971, has run the museum since 1972; it is recognised as a category C museum by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. The collections bring together a wide variety of objects and documents on the town’s history: historical posters, jolités (painted wooden objects typical of Spa), local woodcraft, old postcards, photographs, paintings and engravings by local artists, old plans and numerous archives.

The permanent exhibition “ Spa Story ” follows a timeline to explain how this small town, unknown before the sixteenth century, became the cradle of modern spa treatment, the “ Café de l’Europe ”, and then the “ Perle des Ardennes ” (Pearl of the Ardennes). Authentic documents, rare objects and videos evoke the mineral waters, games of chance and the personalities who made the town famous. In the former stables of the villa, the Musée spadois du cheval traces Spa’s equestrian history from the first horse races on the Continent, organised in 1773.

Highlights

• “ Spa Story ” route on the history of spa treatment and the “ Perle des Ardennes ”
• Jolités de Spa, painted wooden objects typical of the town
• Royal Villa, former residence of Queen Marie-Henriette, with its listed garden
• Musée spadois du cheval in the former stables (saddlery, farriery, horse-drawn carriages)
• Historical posters, postcards, plans and archives about Spa

Permanent exhibitions

• Spa Story – A chronological route through the history of Spa, its mineral waters, games of chance and personalities, with documents, rare objects and videos.
• Musée spadois du cheval – Rooms and stalls in the former stables of the Royal Villa devoted to equestrian activity in Spa since 1773, with saddlery, farriery and horse-drawn carriages; open on the second weekend of the month.

Operated by

Société royale d'Histoire et d'Archéologie spadoises (asbl)

Admission & discounts

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

Free admission with the museumPASSmusées card. The annual membership fee of €20 to the history society gives free entry to the holder, their spouse and their children under 15.

Accessibility

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

Currently, only the ground floors are accessible to pushchairs and people with reduced mobility: Spa Story, the Musée spadois du cheval and the park. The toilets are accessible but not adapted for people with reduced mobility. Only guide dogs and assistance dogs are admitted.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

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

Free discovery games for visiting the museum independently, a treasure hunt linked to the temporary exhibition, and activities for children and their families during the year. Only the ground floors are accessible to pushchairs.

Getting there & parking

By car: motorway E42/A27, exit 8, then N629 towards Spa (about 7 km); motorway E25/A26, exit 45, then N62 (about 20 km).

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