War museums in Belgium

The In Flanders Fields Museum is housed in the Cloth Hall of Ypres. The museum is dedicated to the First World War and focuses on the personal stories in the larger story of the conflict that partly determined world history. The permanent exhibition highlights the leading up to the war, the invasion

The Royal Museum of the Army and Military History is dedicated to ten centuries of military history. The common thread is the history of Belgium from the 18th century through World War II, but other countries are also featured. The collection includes uniforms, weapons, flags, pennants and badges of

The Bastogne War Museum is a memorial dedicated to World War II in Belgium. It places the causes, events and consequences of World War II in a modern context, with special attention to the Battle of the Bulge.

The Atlantic Wall Open Air Museum is located on the protected Provincial Domain of Raversijde. It features sixty structures, positions, bunkers and batteries, from the two world wars connected by open and underground passages. It is one of the best preserved remnants of the Atlantic Wall in Europe.

Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 is housed in a castle that was devastated during World War. In 1925 it was rebuilt in Norman style. The museum illustrates the five battles at Ypres. Visitors walk into a German trench, descend into a British six meter deep dugout with headquarters, a communication

Kazerne Dossin is linked to the history of the Holocaust in Belgium. Between 1942 and 1944, the Nazis used the Dossin barracks as an assembly camp to gather Jews and Gypsies. From here, 25,484 Jews and 352 Gypsies left for Auschwitz- Birkenau. The museum tells the story of the persecution of Jews an

The Mons Memorial Museum covers three periods: the period 1830-1914; the Great War: 1914-1918 and World War II: 1940-1945. It displays collection pieces related to these three periods.

During the dark days of the Great War, Pop was the first stop behind hell. The city became the beating heart of the British war machine known as Petit Paris. Talbot House, set up as an Every Man’s Club by Padre Tubby Clayton, quickly became the place to be. Through his famous notices (“To Pessimists

In the bunkers of Park den Brandt you can discover how during W.W.2 an important section of the enormous German Atlantikwall was commanded from them. Besides extensive information on the bunkers and Atlantikwall in general also the air war is given attention. Especially the technical aspects of the

The Lange Max Museum is a must-see place for the World War I tourist on the German side of the western frontline. In a brand new contemporary museum, the visitor learns all about the huge cannon that was designed to bombard Dunkirk and Ypres. The German occupation of Koekelare during the First World

The IJzer Tower houses the Museum of War, Peace and Flemish Liberation and has 22 floors. Since early 2014, the museum has been completely redesigned to offer visitors even better, more interactive and experiential insights into the Great War, with an emphasis on the Belgian-German confrontation.

The Wellington Museum is housed in the former inn Bodenghien from 1705. The museum is dedicated to the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815. This battle put an end to 22 years of war during the Revolution and the Empire. After this battle Europe experienced a period of peace. The museum illustrates th

Dernier Quartier Général de Napoléon is the only museum in Belgium about Napoleon. The museum displays personal memories of Napoleon as well as weapons and various collections related to the battle and the empire.

The citadel of Dinant is a citadel built on a rock, 100 meters higher than the surface of the Meuse River, near the city center. The citadel houses a historical weapons museum.

The Stampe & Vertongen Museum is dedicated to the aviation pioneers Jean Stampe and Maurice Vertongen who founded their aircraft factory and flight school in Antwerp in 1923. Among other things, the museum displays the SV ("the Stampe"), the Antwerp biplane in which novice pilots received their firs

Musée d'armes et d'histoire militaire illustrates the military history of Tournai. The museum includes a dozen themed rooms, including a room of the Resistance, a room of the Navy, a room of the First Dynasty and a room of both World Wars. The building's garages include cannons and heavy equipment.

Museum "Battle of the Silver Helmets" holds a collection of German helemn, weapons, uniforms, documentation, diaries and photographs, among other things.

The Henri-Chapelle American cemetery and memorial is the final resting place for 7992 service men , most of whom lost their lives during the advance of the US armed forces into Germany. The memorial is composed of a long colonnade where the names of 450 of the missing are inscribed. On one end, a si

War Museum Hooge Crater displays the collections of two collectors of World War I war materials. The collection includes the very extensive weaponry from the 1914-1918 war, as well as the uniforms and equipment of all armies.

The Trench of Death in Diksmuide is the only preserved Belgian trench system from World War I. Through fifteen interactive applications, photographs, films and over a hundred original objects, visitors will discover the story of the infamous Trench of Death in the interpretation center.

In a photo exhibit in the Library Tower of the Leuven Central Library, visitors learn about the turbulent history of the university library and its influence on the city. The exhibition takes the visitor to five time periods on five floors: 'Leuven burns', 'International solidarity', 'A gift from Am

The Breendonk Fort National Memorial is one of the best-preserved German W.O. II camps in Europe. In this 1906 army fortress, part of the Antwerp defense belt, the first prisoners arrived on Sept. 20, 1940. With an audio guide, visitors visit the kitchen, the SS office, the prisoners' rooms and the

The Hill with the Lion is located on the Battle of Waterloo where on June 15, 1815, the French and English troops fought each other. The Panorama of the Battle of Waterloo can be seen in a circular building located next to the visitor center. On display in the building is the work painted by Louis D

Command bunker Kemmel, built in the early 1950s, was intended to be the command post of an international air defense system. However, it never had that function. In the early 1960s, it was decided to set up the bunker as a command post in case of exercise, crisis or conflict. Visitors there now expe

The Infantry Museum (Musée des Chasseurs à Pied) is located in the barracks of Trésignies. Until 1976, it was the garrison of the 1st and 2nd regiments of the "Chasseurs à pied". The museum shows didactically how the "Chasseurs à pied" contributed to the acquisition and preservation of freedom since

Fort Embourg is one of 12 forts around Liege built in 1888 for the defense of Liege in the late 19th century on the initiative of Belgian General Henri Alexis Brialmont. It is the first museum of fortification construction in Belgium and recounts the First and Second World Wars through a collection

Fort Liezele is one of the best-preserved armored forts of the Fortress of Antwerp dating back to 1906. The museum paints a picture of how a garrison of 350 men lived and worked. A historic multimedia presentation is shown in an ammunition magazine. The museum rooms contain a collection of equipment

In the museum, you meet the German artist Käthe Kollwitz, her son Peter and her work. In the Käthe Kollwitz Museum you learn more about Peter. This young German World War I frontlinesoldier gets killed on the day of his arrival in Diksmuide. To process her grief, his mother Käthe makes two statue

Since 1833... Did you know that De Korhaan is one of the oldest active distilleries in Belgium? This means there is a lot to discover behind its authentic walls. Experience via Augmented Reality the origins of De Korhaan through the new interactive center that will open its doors on November 1,

On the Hunnegem site, several museums are housed; The Museum Huge is housed in Hunnegem's Romanesque church and in the adjacent neo-Gothic Pax Hall. Besides the genesis of the town and the monastic community, specific themes are highlighted; monastic life, Marian devotion, Benedict, education, the

The December 1944 Historical Museum displays what happened in December 1944 during the Ardennes Offensive. The museum keeps the memory of the tragic events alive through a large war collection. The museum's collection includes seventeen dioramas, a film about the events recorded during the battle, T

Sanctuary Wood Museum Hill 62 is dedicated to the history of Hill 62, the hill where fighting took place during World War I. In 1916, the front line was established there, with trenches and casemates. The museum's collection includes war artifacts and photographs and 3-D images. In Sanctuary Wood, v

The Canada War Museum is a memorial museum dedicated to World War I in Flanders. It displays realistic scenes that make the mobilization, occupation and liberation palpable. Also on display is a panorama of the battle of the Leopold Canal. The museum also includes three gardens: a French garden with

Museum Kamp van Beverlo is housed in an old military hospital built in 1850. The museum is dedicated to the Camp of Beverlo located on the Dutch border. This camp was created when Belgium was at war with the Netherlands after its independence. Through models, documents and photographs, among other t

Museum of the Ligne KW is dedicated to the defense line Antwerp-Namur (Koningshooikt-Waver) in World War II. The museum exhibits include costume dolls, uniforms posters and other objects from World War II.

Musée français 1e armee française paints a picture of the history of the battle of Dijle in May 1940 and the first tank battle. But it also focuses on the battle of Gemblouc , the only tactical French victory in May 1940. The museum displays a collection of weapons and documents illustrating the tra

The Confederate Museum is dedicated to the American War of Secession and its impact on Europe. Special attention is paid to Belgium at the time of King Leopold I. Through documents and photographs, the museum paints one picture of the social, economic and military life of the time. In addition, the

Musée des marchés folkloriques de l'Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse paints a picture of the tradition of folkloric parades. Among other things, it displays uniforms, weapons and instruments.

The Museum of the Engineers is dedicated to the history of the Engineers of the Belgian Army, from 1830 to today.

The Commando Museum paints a picture of the history of the Belgian Commandos from their founding in Britain in 1942 to the present day.

Musée des 18 jours displays include documents, uniforms and weapons about regional history during both World Wars, with an emphasis on the 18-day campaign in 1940.

The Liberty day Museum paints a picture of World War II in the Ardennes, with special attention to the liberation of Aubel.

The Truschbaum Army Museum paints a picture of the history of Elsenborn Army Camp, from its establishment in 1894 by the Prussian Army to the present day. The collection consists largely of objects related to the Battle of the Bulge.

Les Territoires de la Mémoire offer a symbolic trail dedicated to deportation under the Nazi regime.

The House of Belgian-French Resistance provides a unique look at resistance life in Western Europe during World War II, specifically Belgium and northern France. The unequal struggle of the ordinary citizen through sabotage, forgeries and attacks against the German occupiers and the horror of Naz

The Archéoscope Godefroid de Bouillon is housed in an old convent of the Sisters of the Holy Sepulchre, from the 17th century. It lets visitors experience the First Crusade in the footsteps of Duke Godfrey, Pieter the Hermit and warriors on their way to Jerusalem. It combines history and technology

The museum is dedicated to the history of one of the oldest Belgian cavalry regiments, from its origins in 1814 to the present day.