Museum 't Gasthuys

About the museum

Museum 't Gasthuys stands on the Gasthuyssite, one of the oldest centres of Aalst, where the town grew from the twelfth century onwards. In 1242 Joanna of Constantinople gave the land to the town to build a hospital. For centuries the Gasthuys sisters ran the hospital, which in the Middle Ages mainly provided shelter for pilgrims, the poor and the sick. From the fifteenth century the convent and the chapel took on their present form; later a parsonage and a dispensary were added. In 1899 the sisters and the hospital moved to a new building on the other side of the Dender.

In the twentieth century the buildings had various functions: an academy of music and fine arts, a pharmacy and, during and after the Second World War, shelter for some forty families. As early as 1903 the Oudheidkundige Kring used part of the complex as a museum. After a thorough restoration in 1959-1965, the municipal museum opened in the main building in 1965. Since 1991 the site has been a protected monument, and further renovations followed in the 1990s and 2000s.

The collection covers archaeology, applied art, paintings and graphic art, with pieces such as a sixteenth-century tapestry, a collection of old printing presses and a historic steam fire pump. The museum tells Aalst's story through those objects and through some well-known Aalst people, with its own exhibitions on Father Daens and on the painter Valerius De Saedeleer. The museum also includes the late-Gothic chapel, the convent and the herb garden.

Highlights

• DNAalst exhibition on the story of the town, its villages and inhabitants
• Permanent exhibitions on Father Daens and on the painter Valerius De Saedeleer
• Exhibition on the history of carnival, which draws most visitors in the winter months
• Late-Gothic chapel, convent and herb garden of the old hospital
• Children's trail with the Gasthuys sisters Elsa and Lisa for 4- to 7-year-olds
• Free admission

Permanent exhibitions

• DNAalst – The exhibition tells the story of Aalst, its villages and inhabitants through themes and special objects.
• Daens en het daensisme – In the gallery on the second floor of the old convent you discover the story of Father Daens, his party and his supporters and opponents.
• Valerius De Saedeleer – An exhibition on the life and work of the Aalst painter Valerius De Saedeleer, a major name in Flemish art history.

Founded

1965

Operated by

Stad Aalst

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to Museum 't Gasthuys is free. With a UiTPAS you collect points that you can exchange for benefits such as a cup of coffee or a free brochure for the Elsa and Lisa children's trail. With a museum pass you receive a free coffee or hot chocolate on presentation at the guest table; the museum pass can be bought or renewed at the reception desk.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Museum 't Gasthuys is housed in historic buildings. Most exhibitions are accessible to wheelchair users; part of the DNAalst exhibition and the exhibition on Daens and Daensism cannot be reached by wheelchair. The Visit Aalst website has an accessibility plan for the site.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

For 4- to 7-year-olds there is the children's trail with the Gasthuys sisters Elsa and Lisa as mini guides; the accompanying brochure is available free of charge with UiTPAS points. During the autumn holidays there are workshops to make your own lantern for the Sint-Maarten Lichtjesstoet (lantern procession).

Getting there & parking

Bicycle parking (unsecured) is located just outside the gate of the Gasthuyssite and on the site itself.

Amenities & dining

At the guest table by the entrance you can drink water or coffee and study during opening hours; eating is not allowed in the museum itself. Outside on the Gasthuyssite you may picnic.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit