Museum of Fine Arts and Jules Destree Museum
These two museums are located in the Charleroi Town Hall (on the 2nd and 3rd floor respectively) and complement each other in terms of their collection.
The Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) offers a rich collection that covers the main artistic schools in Belgium from the 19th century on into the 20th century: neo-classicism, realism, social realism, impressionism, expressionism, surrealism and abstract art.
Prestige and history: some famous names have contributed to its reputation: F.-J. Navez, J. Portaels, F. Rops, C. Meunier, P. Paulus, A. Boch, R. Magritte, P. Delvaux, J. Delahaut, …
The museum is a witness to the collective memory, a guardian of our heritage, offering a wealth of dynamic and sophisticated presentations: temporary exhibitions, tours - entertainment, conferences, creative workshops, concerts,… It also helps build awareness among the younger generation.
The Jules Destrée Museum has, since 1988, housed the collection bequeathed by Georges and Martine Armand, the testamentary legatees of Jules and Marie Destrée. Archives, works, documents and miscellaneous items tell of the life and times of Jules Destrée, a man with a rich, multifaceted personality who was decidedly modern. Destrée’s work dates from the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century. However, the Jules Destrée Museum is not an intimist conservatory dedicated to the man who was the Minister of Science and Arts. This museum highlights his approach to life and work that is still very much present in debates and in our political, cultural and ethical life. This site is therefore a laboratory of experience and reflection that allows everyone to appreciate the rich cultural and intellectual legacy handed down by Jules Destrée to future generations.
Town Hall, 2nd floor, Place Charles II, 6000 Charleroi.
Tel.: 0032 (0) 71.86.11.34. Fax: 0032 (0) 71.86.11.33.
Web : http://www.charleroi-museum.org/,
E-mail : mba@charleroi.be, mjd@charleroi.be.
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 1.15 p.m. to 5 p.m. Free admission.
Open on the first Wednesday of the month till 20 p.m.: guided tours at 2 p.m; and 6 p.m. Dynamic guided tour for children (secondary school): 25€ - Free arts and crafts parties for children. Free admission.
Guided tours on request: 30 € during the week, 37 € on Saturdays.
Glass Museum
The Glass Museum, on the theme "Art and Technology", traces the origin and history of glass, the development of its use and its decoration, its composition, specific characteristics and its applications today. A remarkable collection of glasswork covers the history of this material from the urns and blown plates of the early days of our era to contemporary sculptures, including the highly ornate glass of Venice, the scintillating crystal of the 19th century, the delicate etched glass of Germany and Bohemia and the splendours of Art Nouveau. One section is devoted to the history of the technology of both hollow glass and flat glass. Temporary exhibition rooms, a library and audiovisual documentaries provide extra insight.
Rue du Cazier, 80, 6001 Marcinelle.
Tel.: 0032 (0) 71.86.00.00.
Web: http://www.charleroi-museum.org
Mail : mdv@charleroi.be
Open from Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Including on public holidays exception Shrove Tuesday, on the first, and on the 11th of November.
Admission: 5 € - adults; 4 € - OAP’s, children and students. Special prices for groups, temporary events and exhibitions.
Guided tours on request - 40 €.
Scientific Knowledge of Fub
Science? It’s child’s play… and it’s also for parents at the “Centre de culture scientifique del'ULB (Scientific knowledge centre of Free University of Brussels). Housed in former barns which have now been completely renovated on the Campus of Parentville, the centre features:
• temporary exhibitions on various themes
• interactive experiments to arouse interest and wonder
• a communication area with a multimedia laboratory
• astronomical observation evenings with the site’s telescope
• an environmental circuit in the 20-hectare park
The centre also organizes a variety of events throughout the year: multimedia competitions on scientific presentations, Science Sunday, summer school, scientific conferences, etc.
Campus de Parentville, rue de Villers,227, 6010 Couillet.
Tel.:0032 (0) 71.600.300 Fax : 0032 (0) 71.600.305.
E-mail : ccs@ulb.ac.be
Web : http://www.ulb.ac.be/ccs.
Open on week days from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Saturdays.
Admission: 4 € - adults; 3 € - students; 2 € - children under 12 years of age and school groups; free for children under 6 years of age.
Guided tours in French by appointment.
Bois du Cazier
The Bois du Cazier, where a mining disaster took place, is now the property of the Walloon Region, and the site which it was believed had closed its gates forever has now been opened to the public. Guided tours will really bring the pithead to life. The buildings, which are listed monuments, are fine examples of industrial architecture in a verdant setting.
The room which formerly housed the winding gear - the “Espace 8 août 1956” - is dedicated to this tragedy in which 262 men of 12 different nationalities lost their lives. This room evokes the fight over coal and Italian immigration. An area conducive to contemplation is located at the foot of the two headgears. This is perhaps fitting as this was the day on which the highest number of victims paid with their lives for the black stone extracted from deep in the bowels of the mine.
In the shower rooms and the salle des pendus, the “Espace Musée de l’Industrie” tells of the Wallonia that emerged from the industrial revolution. Steam engines, rolling mills, winding gear, compressors, dynamos and electric engines and a tram stand witness to this great human and technological saga. A printery and a forge reveal something of the magic of printing techniques and metallurgy. Finally, in the energy area, the “Espace Forum” houses temporary events and exhibitions.
Rue du Cazier, 80, 6001 Marcinelle.
Tel.: 0032 (0) 71.88.08.56. Fax: 0032 (0) 71.88.08.57.
Web: http://www.leboisducazier.be/, info@leboisducazier.be.
Open from Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Including on public holidays exception Shrove Tuesday, on the first, and on the 11th of November.
Admission: 5 € - adults; 4 € - OAP’s, children and students. Special prices for groups, temporary events and exhibitions.
Guided tours on request - 40 €.
Photography Museum
The Musée de la Photographie de la Communauté française (Museum of Photography of the French-speaking Community) in Charleroi, Centre of contemporary art, located in the former Carmelite monastery of Mont-sur-Marchienne, presents its permanent collections and temporary exhibitions. It covers the entire history of photography until more recent contemporary developments. The museum offers glimpses into the field of aesthetic research, the struggles of humanists and artistic movements along with the development of photographic technique. This look at some aspects of history, as it were, through the camera lens reveals the rich and dynamic world of photography.
A specialized library and a documentation centre are open to students and researchers, and an educational service offers a fun and creative approach to photography in the Discovery Area and through different forms of entertainment.
Avenue Paul Pastur, 11, 6032 Mont-sur-Marchienne.
Tel.: 0032 (0) 71.43.58.10. Fax: 0032 (0) 71.36.46.45.
Web: http://www.museephoto.be
E-mail: mpc.info@museephoto.be
Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays, 25 December and 1 January.
Admission: 4 € - adults; 2,50 € - students, OAPs and groups of 4 persons and upwards. Free for children under 12 years of age and for Amis du Musée (Friends of the Museum).
Guided tours on request: 35 € during the week; 45 € at the weekend; 25 € - paying school groups. Entertainment and workshops on request. Guided tours for private individuals: on the 1st sunday at 3 p.m.: 2,50€ adults; free for children.
Light Infantry Museum
Situated in the porch of the Trésignies barracks, which is a listed monument, this museum offers a panorama of our heritage through the history of 12 infantry regiments which have existed from 1830 to the present. The visit starts by evoking the winning of our independence in 1830 and the ten-day campaign of 1831, as well as the long period of peace from 1832 to 1914. The main room leading off from this is devoted to the two world wars and the Liberation in 1944. There is then a small room devoted to the national hero Corporal Trésignies. The tour ends with the contemporary period. The different eras are illustrated by historical objects, uniforms, documents, paintings and lithographs, and authentic weapons and equipment.
Avenue Général Michel 1B, 6000 Charleroi.
Tel.: 0032 (0) 71/30.07.48 (opening hours) or 0032 (0) 71.59.29.45.
Open Mondays and Thursdays except public holidays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays except public holidays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or by appointment for groups of minimum 10 pers. Admission: 1,25 € ; 1 € - groups; 0,75 € - children.
The "Maison de la Poterie"
The "Maison de la Poterie", set up in the old exhibition hall at Guérin pottery, is the setting for a pleasant visit with various staged scenes and videograms.
Following the development of stoneware, the world of potters opens onto the discovery of works tracing the amazing development of styles throughout the centuries.
From the generous earth to ceramic stoneware, the potter masters the different stages which, under his hand, turn raw material into a work of art.
In the heart of a kiln, a spectacular audio-visual show pays homage to the skill of the craftsman, this alchemist of water, fire and salt who "makes the earth sing".
An animated staging of the uses of stoneware traces these different uses back through time.
Rue Général Jacques, 4 – 6200 Bouffioulx.
Tel. / Fax: 0032 (0) 71.39.51.77.
Closed on Mondays.
The Dubois pottery
The Dubois pottery, which has seen five generations of potters, is one of the oldest workshops in Bouffioulx (1868).
Located at 20 rue Hermant, Bouffioulx.
Open from Monday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Guided tours for groups on request. Tel.: 071.38.17.61.- Fax: 071.40.02.28.
The Museum of Folklore Marches
In Gerpinnes, the Museum of Folklore Marches of the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse (rue de la Régence, 6) contains a very beautiful collection of costumes and weapons of the marchers.
Visits: from the first weekend of May to the last weekend of September, on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. or by appointment. Tel.: 071.50.26.52.
Sightseeing in the Region of Charleroi
