Musée du Pays d'Ourthe-Amblève
Museum in Comblain-au-Pont, in a listed 17th-century presbytery: archaeology, geology and folklore of the region, with stone as the common thread.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum is housed on the place Leblanc, in the centre of Comblain-au-Pont, in a former 17th-century presbytery. The building, made of local limestone and sandstone, is dated 1676 by a small niche above the door, and has been on the list of listed heritage since 1959.
The trail, entitled “L’Homme et la pierre au fil du temps” (“Man and Stone Through Time”), follows a chronological order: geology and palaeontology, Palaeolithic (Belle-Roche, Walou, the Coléoptère cave), Mesolithic and Neolithic, Antiquity (the Raideux and Poulseur villas), Middle Ages and early modern period (the Merovingian necropolis of Comblain-Fairon, the châteaux of Beaumont and Amblève), and then the contemporary period, with quarrymen’s tools, toys and objects of local life. Bones of mammoth, Deninger’s bear and cave lion are also on display.
The visit continues outdoors: an open-air museum at the Tour Saint-Martin presents sculptures from international symposia, and a geological wall and a geological trail complete the offer. The museum organises temporary exhibitions, lectures and activities for children and adults, welcomes researchers and houses a tourist information point for the sites of the municipality.
Highlights
- Former 17th-century presbytery, a listed building
- “L’Homme et la pierre au fil du temps” trail, from the Palaeolithic to the present day
- Bones of mammoth, Deninger’s bear and cave lion
- Open-air museum and sculptures at the Tour Saint-Martin
- Geological wall and geological trail
Permanent exhibition
- L'Homme et la pierre au fil du temps – Chronological trail from geology and the Palaeolithic to the contemporary period, with archaeological finds, objects of local folklore and contemporary sculptures.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2.50Seniors (65 and over) and children aged 4 to 11 |
| Children & teens | €2.50Rate for children aged 4 to 11. |
| Seniors | €2.50From age 65. |
| Groups (15+ people) | –Unguided visit for groups of 15 or more: entry rate minus 10%. Customised guided tour (15 to 25 people): entry rate minus 10%, plus €50 for the guided tour; booking required three weeks in advance. |
| Article 27 ticket | €1.25 |
Free admission: First Sunday of the month.
Unguided visits by schools of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles are free all year round.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- 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
The museum is Access-i certified, but it is not accessible to people with reduced mobility; only guide dogs for the blind are admitted. The breakdown by type of disability is on the Access-i fact sheet.
Kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 45 min |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
Activities for children and adults are offered during the year; individual visitors receive an “Explorer’s Booklet” (“Carnet de l’Explorateur”).
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Place Leblanc
Bus: lines 63 and 142, Place Leblanc stop. Train: lines 42 (Liège–Gouvy), 43 (Liège–Marloie) and IC (Liège–Luxembourg), Rivage station, 2.3 km from the museum.
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
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The education service offers schools three activities: “Au fil de l’humanité”, “La Préhistoire à travers les 5 sens” and “L’archéologie, du chantier au musée”. Groups can book by email (info@musee-ourthe-ambleve.be) or by phone. |
