Musée du Tir à l'Arc

About the museum

The Rixensart archery museum is located in the outbuildings of a shooting tower built in 1928 near the former paper mills of Genval, probably on the initiative of a private investor, so that archers could train during the winter. The tower passed to the paper mills' property, then became municipal property on the company's liquidation. Thoroughly renovated in 1998 by the municipality with the help of the Walloon Region, it is listed as Walloon heritage. The museum was inaugurated there in 2003.

The tower houses two poles, the last covered poles still in use in Wallonia. Every winter, vertical pole shooting competitions are held there: archers shoot with flared-tip arrows (28 mm in diameter) at dummy birds fixed to the teeth of a harrow hoisted to a height of 27.5 metres.

The museum offers an overview of the use of the bow from prehistory to today and of the birth of vertical pole shooting as a leisure activity. Visitors can see traditional bows, compound bows and a Japanese kyudo bow, arrows of various types, old and plastic wooden birds, shooter's accessories, trophies and old postcards. The museum is run by the ASBL “Cercle des tireurs et Musée du tir à l'arc de Rixensart”, closely linked to the archery society that still uses the two poles.

Highlights

• Last covered poles still in use in Wallonia
• Traditional bows, compound bows and a Japanese kyudo bow
• Old shooting birds, accessories, trophies and old postcards
• Pole shooting demonstration by members of the society
• Introduction to vertical pole archery, equipment provided

Permanent exhibition

• Histoire de l'arc et du tir à la perche verticale – Bows and arrows of different periods and types, shooting birds, accessories, trophies and old postcards, in the outbuildings of the 1928 shooting tower.

Founded

2003

Operated by

ASBL Cercle des tireurs et Musée du tir à l'arc de Rixensart

Admission & discounts

Free visit: €4 per person aged 18 and over, €1 for ages 12 to 17. Donations are welcome.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

Visitors can try archery with equipment provided; the guided tour is not recommended for children. Rate of €1 for young people aged 12 to 17.

Getting there & parking

The museum entrance is in the side passage of the tower, Rue Auguste Lannoye 32.

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