Bruges Art Scene: Top 5 Cultural Gems to Explore

Bruges, with its twisting canals and medieval buildings, too it’s almost like stepping back in time. Yet, there’s so much more to Bruges than just pretty scenery, that is that Bruges boasts a truly vibrant art and culture scene that just might surprise you! We’re going to take a look at five spots you just can’t skip when you visit. That these places show off just a little bit of what makes Bruges a memorable spot for art lovers. It might be helpful to have a basic idea on the trip advisor website to consult the opinions on locations you want to visit to best plan out your vacation!

1. Groeningemuseum: A Trip Through Flemish Art

You know, if you are into Flemish and Belgian art, a visit to the Groeningemuseum is very important. That the museum covers pretty much six centuries of art from the area, so too it’s almost essential for any serious art fan. That said, expect to see work from masters like Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling. You get to stand right in front of paintings that genuinely helped define Early Netherlandish art, which is something really impressive. Oh, as a matter of fact, Van Eyck’s “The Virgin and Child with Canon van der Paele” is there, a really famous and influential painting. Actually seeing the details and just feeling the history of these images in person is quite awesome, to be honest.

2. Memling Museum: Witnessing the Master’s Legacy

The Memling Museum, which is housed inside the Old St. John’s Hospital, gives you that unique experience: art plus history! Basically, the museum is mostly all about the works of Hans Memling, a fifteenth-century German-born artist who did most of his main work in Bruges. Anyway, the highlight, which might be his most well-known work, is the “Saint Ursula Shrine,” that’s a truly ornate reliquary which is just packed with detail. Still, besides the amazing art, you get that chance to walk through parts of a historic hospital, to get to see the space where patients were treated centuries ago. It’s kinda interesting to consider art and also social history all in the very same spot, very very awesome.

3. Sint-Janshospitaal (Old St. John’s Hospital): More Than Just Art

Ok, so even though we already mentioned it, it’s quite worth talking more about Sint-Janshospitaal, or Old St. John’s Hospital, on its own. Right, this spot provides that really cool combination of art, history, and also a sense of what day-to-day life way back when really felt like. Okay, think about this: that’s one of Europe’s oldest hospital buildings that you’re touring, dating clear back to the mid-12th century! Actually, after seeing the Memling masterpieces, you might find it just as gripping, maybe even more so, to walk through those old wards and also the chapel. Anyway, just standing there kind of gives you that solid connection to centuries of people that walked those same halls before you, so, pretty impressive if you want that experience!

4. Historium: Experience Bruges’ History

So, now if you wanna get up close and personal with Bruges history, and also in that really immersive type of way, you can’t miss Historium! Right, this museum utilizes some kinda cool tech such as virtual reality in order to recreate the Bruges from the fifteenth century. Right, unlike simply walking around seeing display cases, that can be a bit dry to some people, at the Historium, you get that complete walkthrough of the city as it would have been back then. We feel like we know just what life was like during Bruges’ Golden Age because you might be experiencing this! This can be more rewarding to do instead of having to piece this information together like some kind of detective! So, that is great, if you’re hoping for that active and interesting type experience.

5. De Halve Maan Brewery: A Different Kind of Cultural Experience

Ok, listen, alright, De Halve Maan Brewery isn’t exactly an art museum, very very true. Instead, this place just shows a crucial, more or less, piece of Bruges culture and local tradition: the art of beer making! Anyway, this brewery has operated in Bruges for a staggering amount of time; over five hundred years, in fact! Now you can actually get a tour, find out a little about how they make beer and learn a little about the family history tied in! That is very interesting. Obviously you might also sample the brews right when you are at the source! Right, as a matter of fact, the brewery even has its very own beer pipeline that actually runs underneath the city. That makes you wonder about history meeting engineering!