Musée de Nimy – Carrefour de la Céramique

About the museum

The Cercle culturel “Vieux-Nimy” was born from a local initiative: its first meeting took place on 11 May 1965, and the association obtained ASBL (Belgian non-profit association) status in 1967. Its aim is to promote artistic, cultural and folkloric activities in the municipality and the region. The “Musée du Vieux-Nimy” opened on 5 May 1973; it initially brought together everything relating to the history of the village, its personalities, festivals and folklore, a kind of memory house for the people of Nimy.

Over time, the museum has turned to conserving and presenting pieces of faience and porcelain from the kilns of the factories of Mons and the Borinage, as well as from other Belgian establishments and from the Hauts-de-France. Exchanges of workers and capital between the two countries did indeed improve the quality of production. The museum presents some forty production sites along a “ceramics route”.

The collections, dating from the 18th to the 20th centuries, are organised around three themes: the great faience and porcelain factories of the Mons region, the Borinage and northern France; the clay pipes of Nimy, Maisières and Mons, with objects related to tobacco; and Nimy's main industries as well as its folklore. The museum is run on a voluntary basis by the Cercle culturel and presents itself as a unique collection of its kind in Belgium.

Highlights

• Faience and porcelain from the factories of Mons and the Borinage
• About forty production sites presented along a “ceramics route”
• Collection of clay pipes from Nimy, Maisières and Mons
• Objects relating to the industry and folklore of the former village of Nimy
• Run by volunteers, open at weekends in season

Permanent exhibitions

• Faïences et porcelaines de Mons, du Borinage et du nord de la France – Pieces from the 18th to 20th centuries from about forty production sites, presented along a ceramics route.
• Pipes en terre et industries de Nimy – Clay pipes from Nimy, Maisières and Mons, tobacco-related objects, and evidence of local industry and folklore.

Founded

1973

Operated by

ASBL Cercle culturel « Vieux-Nimy »

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Free admission on the first Sunday of every month.

A discount is possible (conditions not specified on the website). Many catalogues on sale on site.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

From Brussels or Paris via the E19/E42, exit 23, then follow the signs “Musée de Nimy”.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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