Our collections

Belgian carnivals and folklore

A key theme of the museum since it opened in 1975, the collection dedicated to Belgian carnivals and folklore brings together numerous costumes, masks, accessories, iconographic documents and written archives.

These authentic pieces reflect the richness and diversity of Belgium's popular traditions. Bonfires, marches, ducasses, processions and carnivals are all important events that punctuate community life. Whether they are the legacy of medieval pagan or religious rites or more recent creations, these festivities have evolved according to the historical, social and geographical contexts in which they take place.

In addition, each municipality has developed its own characteristics and differences.

Whether ancestral or contemporary, masked festivities play an essential role in the social cohesion and collective identity of the populations that perpetuate them.
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