Gruuthusemuseum

The Gruuthusemuseum is a museum of applied arts in Bruges, located in the medieval Gruuthuse, the house of Louis de Gruuthuse. The collection ranges from the 15th to the 19th century.

The Gruuthuse

Presumably in the 13th century, a rich family from Bruges received the monopoly to levy taxes on gruit, and built a storage for it. The building was changed in the early fifteenth century by Jan IV van der Aa to a luxury house for his family, which subsequently changes its name to "Van Gruuthuse" ("From the Gruit house"). His son Louis de Gruuthuse adds a second wing to the house, and in 1472 a chapel. This connects the house to the adjacent Church of Our Lady, Bruges.

In 1596, the house is bought by king Philip II of Spain and in 1623 given to Wenceslas Cobergher to house the Bruges mount of piety. The city of Bruges bought the house in 1875, and architect Louis Delacenserie completely restored it between 1883 and 1895. The exterior is partly original, partly a reconstruction; the interior is mostly a late 19th century Neogothical reconstruction of a medieval interior. The building was initially used by the city if Bruges to display the archaeological collection of the Société Archéologique, and expanded into a more general museum over the years, after the city had acquired the collections for themselves in 1955.

The collection

The museum was started to house the collection of the Société Archéologique. Some of the driving forces behind the start of the museum were art historian William Henry James Weale and architect William Curtis Brangwyn.

The museum displays both the interior of a house of a rich family as it would have been in the late Middle Ages, and a collection of everyday tools and utensils. On display are furniture, bobbin lace, objects in gold and silver, weapons, musical instruments, and ceramics. The most famous object in the collection is the painted terracotta bust of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor from 1520, attributed to Conrat Meit. Another highlight is the collection of Flemish tapestries from the 16th and 17th century.

The museum regularly holds exhibitions, like the 1987 "Masterpieces of Bruges Tapestry", or the 2013 "Love and devotion", centered on the Gruuthuse manuscript.

External links

Listed in the following categories:
Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Filip D.
14 August 2014
What's not good here? Amazing world famous paintings , great setting , a must if you even only remotely like art
Haroen Viaene
9 August 2014
This used to be the house of the family Gruut (alternative to Hops). Now it's one of the best museums in Bruges.
Fernando Mansilla
1 August 2014
Beautiful venue for concerts and incredible Nils Frahm show
Yigit
10 February 2016
Romance...
Per Haram
7 August 2011
Beatiful square
Sarah
27 January 2020
Check zeker het terrasje, prachtig uitzicht!! ????
Load more comments
foursquare.com
7.0/10
3,892 people have been here
Map
Groeninge 2, 8000 Brugge, Belgium Get directions
Tue-Sun 9:30 AM–5:00 PM

Gruuthusemuseum on Foursquare

Gruuthusemuseum on Facebook

Hotels nearby

See all hotels See all
Relais & Chateaux Hotel Heritage

starting $226

Hotel Acacia

starting $167

Martin's Brugge

starting $144

Martin's Brugge

starting $161

Hotel Koffieboontje

starting $95

Hotel Cordoeanier

starting $93

Recommended sights nearby

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
St.Bonifacius Bridge

St.Bonifacius Bridge is a tourist attraction, one of the Bridges in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Church Of Our Lady, Brugge

The Church of Our Lady (Nederlands. 'Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk') in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Groeningemuseum

The Groeningemuseum is a municipal museum of Bruges, Belgium.

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
St. Salvator's Cathedral

The Sint-Salvator Cathedral is the cathedral of Bruges, Belgium.

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Belfry of Bruges

The Belfry of Bruges, or Belfort, is a medieval bell tower in the

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Basilica of the Holy Blood

The Basilica of the Holy Blood (Nederlands. Heilig-Bloedbasiliek,

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Bruges City Hall

The Bruges City Hall is one of the oldest city halls in the entire

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Markt (Bruges)

The Markt ('Market Square') of Bruges is located in the heart of the

Similar tourist attractions

See all See all
Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Zeugma Mosaic Museum

Zeugma Mosaic Museum, in the town of Gaziantep, Turkey, is the biggest

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Şanlıurfa Museum

Şanlıurfa Museum (Turkish: Şanlıurfa Müzesi) is an archaeological muse

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
EYE Film Institute Netherlands

EYE Film Institute Netherlands is a Dutch archive and museum in

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Şanlıurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museum

Şanlıurfa Archaeology and Mosaic Museum is a museum in Şanlıurfa (al

Add to wishlist
I've been here
Visited
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is located in

See all similar places