Stadhuis van Brugge
One of the oldest town halls in the Low Countries, with the neo-Gothic Gothic Hall and an exhibition about Bruges and the sea.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Construction of the Bruges town hall began in 1376 on the orders of Count Louis of Male, on the site of an older comital building, and was completed in 1421. It is one of the oldest town halls in the Low Countries and inspired the builders of the town halls of Brussels, Ghent, Leuven and Oudenaarde.
After a fire in 1887, the interior was restored between 1895 and 1905. The two aldermen's chambers on the upper floor were merged into the Gothic Hall, with a timber pendant vault and murals by Albrecht De Vriendt on the history of Bruges. On the ground floor hang portraits of mayors, princes and Napoleon.
The town hall is still the administrative heart of the city: the municipal council meets there every month, and marriages are conducted there. The building is also a museum of Musea Brugge, with an exhibition about Bruges and the sea in the neighbouring Historical Hall.
Highlights
- Gothic Hall with a colourful timber vault and neo-Gothic murals
- Historical Hall about Bruges and the sea, with a model in Augmented Reality
- Life-size portraits of mayors, kings, emperors and Napoleon
- Fourteenth-century façade that inspired other town halls
- View of the Burg, the former administrative and religious centre of the city
Permanent exhibitions
- Gotische Zaal – Room on the first floor with a colourful timber vault and murals from the early twentieth century on the history of Bruges.
- Brugge en de zee – In the Historical Hall, archaeological objects, artworks and a model with Augmented Reality show how Bruges owes its prosperity to its connection with the North Sea.
- Founded
- 1377
- Operated by
- Musea Brugge (Stad Brugge)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €7Visitors under 26; holders of the Klasse Lerarenkaart (teacher card) |
| Children & teens | €4free up to age 12 · Young people aged 13 to 17 pay €4; children under 13 enter free of charge. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Companions of people who cannot visit the museum independently enter free of charge; reserve a free ticket online or on site. |
| Groups | –A group consists of up to 15 participants; group tickets are sold online only. |
| Musea Brugge Card (72 hours, all open locations of Musea Brugge) | €49€37 for under 26, €25 for under 18; the card is only activated at the first visit and can be activated up to one year after purchase |
| Museumpas (1 year, all Musea Brugge locations and more than 250 other Belgian museums) | €64.95 |
At weekends a ticket for the Town Hall also gives access to the Brugse Vrije; if you visit the Town Hall on a weekday, the same ticket lets you visit the Brugse Vrije at the weekend within seven days. Residents of Bruges and of the sub-municipalities of Koolkerke, Sint-Andries, Sint-Michiels, Assebroek, Sint-Kruis, Dudzele, Lissewege and Zeebrugge, and Friends of Musea Brugge, visit the locations free of charge. Admission is also free with an ICOM card, Museumpas, Merito Club, Riebedebie (passport campaign), SELECT Card and the Bruges city guide with FTG card. Reserve a free ticket online and have it activated at the ticket desk with your card or identity card. Holders of a UiTPAS regio Brugge with reduced rate get a discount, only via the Musea Brugge website; with the UiTPAS you can also collect points. An online ticket cannot be changed, exchanged or cancelled.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: not available
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The entrance is wheelchair-accessible without help, the museum with assistance; there is a spacious, wheelchair-accessible lift. The toilet is not wheelchair-accessible. There are reserved parking spaces for people with disabilities and resting points in the museum. An audio tour in text form is available for visitors with hearing impairments.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 12 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Stroller-friendly
Children under 13 enter free of charge. For families there is a special guided tour, which can be booked online; pushchairs are welcome.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Brugge Dijver
Nearest De Lijn bus stop: Brugge Dijver (stop 502817). The city centre shuttle bus also runs nearby. Nearest train station: Brugge station.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The museum has no car park of its own; the nearest car park is Parking Pandreitje. The entire city centre is a paid parking zone for visitors; preferably park at the free outer car parks and park-and-ride sites, at P Centrum Station or in the underground public car parks.
- Accessible parking
Wheelchairs can be taken on all De Lijn buses and the city centre shuttle bus. Plan your route via the De Lijn website.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Wi-Fi
Bicycle parking and free toilets. Free Wi-Fi at Musea Brugge locations.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography without flash and without tripod is allowed; photo and film recordings are for personal, non-commercial use only. |
| Good to know | Free audio or museum tour via MB Explorer: scan the QR code in the museum with your phone (bring earphones). You can plan a guided tour through one of the recognised guide associations in Bruges. Primary and secondary schools enter free of charge. |
