Museum K-blokken en Oscarkapel

About the museum

The Kamp van Beverlo began in 1835 with twelve small horse stables. In 1913, the cavalry camp reached its largest size, with 53 blocks for almost 3,000 soldiers and more than 2,600 horses. When the cavalry was motorised in 1936, this came to an end. During the Second World War, political prisoners were housed in the blocks, and during the Allied bombings of May 1944 the K-blocks were spared because prisoners of war were staying there.

When tank units from Germany arrived in the camp in 1970, many K-blocks were demolished. To save part of the heritage, Ray Verpoorten asked for permission to keep a few blocks and the chapel. The museum started in 1991 on his initiative, an association was founded in 1996, and since 2007 the museum has been run entirely by volunteers. The Oscarkapel is a post-war wooden chapel built on the orders of an officer whose first name was Oscar.

The open-air museum has artillery pieces, tanks and armoured vehicles, and an original bunker in which a bombardment is simulated with light and sound. The indoor museum shows Second World War vehicles, military locomotives that ran through the camp, dormitories and a fully furnished soldiers’ room. The museum works together with the Leopoldsburg tourism department and with the Koninklijk Museum van het Leger en de Krijgsgeschiedenis (Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History).

Highlights

• Open-air route with artillery, tanks and armoured vehicles
• Original bunker with a simulated bombardment in light and sound
• Second World War vehicles and military locomotives
• Dormitories and a fully furnished soldiers’ room
• Remembrance of the political prisoners held in the camp
• Mess-tin meal for groups, by reservation

Permanent exhibitions

• Outdoor museum – Walk past artillery, tanks and armoured vehicles, with a simulated bombardment in an original bunker and the restored military chapel.
• Indoor museum – Second World War vehicles, military locomotives, dormitories and a furnished soldiers’ room, with attention to the political prisoners held in the camp.

Founded

1991

Operated by

MKOK Leopoldsburg (vereniging van vrijwilligers)

Admission & discounts

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Accessibility

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Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

The museum is in the Kamp van Beverlo, on the grounds of the military authorities, Burkelstraat 131.

Amenities & dining

• Café

Café every Monday from 13:00 to 18:00; local products such as jenever, soldatenkoek and beer are on offer.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit