Teseum

About the museum

The Teseum is located in and beneath the Basilica of Our Lady in Tongeren and opened in 2016. It is run by the Heritage Department of the City of Tongeren-Borgloon. The museum has three parts: the treasury, the archaeological site under the church and the basilica tower. The entrance is in the former chapter house.

The treasury holds one of the largest and richest church treasures in the Low Countries. Its core consists of relics and reliquaries, supplemented by goldsmith's work, statues, medieval textiles and liturgical vestments. Multimedia guides explain the function and meaning of the objects, for example how relics gave power and prestige to the church, and how the most important treasures were shown to pilgrims during the Heiligdomsvaart (relic pilgrimage).

On the archaeological site, three metres below ground, visitors walk past walls and foundations spanning 2,000 years of town history, from Roman townhouses and the late Roman town wall to the predecessors of the basilica. The Romanesque cloister and the courtyard (pandhof), partly dating from the 12th century, are included in the ticket. In the basilica tower, begun in 1442 as a belfry, you climb past the attics and the bell frame of the carillon with 49 bells to the top, accessible to the general public for the first time in history. The Tongeren belfry is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Highlights

• Church treasure of the Basilica of Our Lady with relics and reliquaries
• Archaeological site with remains of the Roman town and of the basilica's predecessors
• Romanesque cloister and courtyard
• Climb to the top of the basilica tower (about 300 steps) with views over Haspengouw
• Interactive multimedia tours with animations and a video floor
• Children's trails for 6- to 12-year-olds

Permanent exhibitions

• Schatkamer – The church treasure of the Basilica of Our Lady with relics, reliquaries, goldsmith's work and liturgical vestments, explained through a multimedia guide.
• Archeologische site – Under the basilica you walk past walls and foundations that tell the history of Tongeren from Roman times to the present, with animations and a video floor.
• Basiliektoren – Climb through the attics of the basilica and past the carillon with 49 bells to the top, with views over the Haspengouw landscape.

Founded

2016

Operated by

Stad Tongeren-Borgloon (Dienst Erfgoed)

Admission & discounts

Prices per person: treasury or archaeological site €6 (aged 26 to 54), €5 (55+) and €1 (aged 6 to 25); holders of a teacher card pay €3. The cloister and cloister garden are included with each part of the museum. Free admission applies to, among others, ICOM and ICOMOS card holders, holders of the Riebedebie pass or the City Pass Tongeren-Borgloon, and members of the Tongeren-Borgloon guides' association. Residents of Tongeren-Borgloon can visit the cloister free of charge after registering at reception.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• 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 treasury and cloister are accessible to wheelchairs up to 90 cm wide, with a lift to all floors and adapted toilets; a wheelchair can be reserved at the desk in advance. The archaeological site can only be reached by stairs and is not accessible to pushchairs, rollators or wheelchairs; a 360° tour allows a virtual visit. The basilica tower has no lift and requires about 300 steps. Assistance dogs are welcome in the treasury and cloister. Hard-of-hearing visitors can follow the trails in a reading version. On the Vrijthof, less than 50 metres away, there are spaces for people with disabilities.

Kids & families

Great for kids & familiesRecommended for ages 6+

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

For children aged 6 to 12 there are trails in each part of the museum: the interactive museum game “Op stap met Servaasje” (Out and about with Servaasje) and the search booklet “Beestige raadseltocht” (Beastly riddle trail) in the treasury, an audio tour with Max and Tine at the archaeological site, and a riddle booklet with the gargoyle Gust in the tower. The tower is not suitable for children under 6, and children go up with an adult.

Getting there & parking

Via the E313, take exit 32 towards Tongeren via the N79; via the E40, take exit 29 via the N69. The entrance is on the Museumkwartier.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The museum shop sells, among other things, books, CDs, postcards and souvenirs.

Events & venue rental

The cloister and cloister garden can be hired for non-commercial photo shoots (portraits, weddings, communions) for €50.

Plan your visit