---
title: "Bruges lace and the Lace Centre | Karel de Stoute"
url: https://www.chocolatehotel.be/en/bruges/bruges-lace
description: "Where to watch lace being made in Bruges: the Lace Centre, €8, demonstrations Monday to Saturday 14:00 to 17:00. Its history, and how to spot handmade lace."
lang: en
---

Image: Old postcard of Bruges lacemakers: women at their lace pillows in a cobbled street, with a small girl beside them (https://www.chocolatehotel.be/assets/guide-bruges-lace-hero-Du63jQ-l.webp)

Museums

# Bruges lace: the Lace Centre, the afternoon demonstrations and how to recognise handmade lace

Postcard, 1921, public domain, cropped: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bruges._Dentelli%C3%A8res_-_Lace_workwomen,_GP010446.jpg

Bruges lace is bobbin lace, made by hand with dozens or even hundreds of bobbins on a pillow. The best place to see it is the Lace Centre (Kantcentrum) at Balstraat 16, a small museum in a former lace school where lacemakers work every afternoon from Monday to Saturday, 14:00 to 17:00. A ticket costs €8, and the demonstrations are included.

Staying in Bruges? Our nine rooms are a short walk from here. See the rooms (https://www.chocolatehotel.be/en/rooms)

## What is Bruges lace?

Lace has been made in Flanders since the 16th century, in two kinds: bobbin lace and needle lace. Bruges is known for bobbin lace, made by crossing and twisting threads wound on bobbins and pinned to a pattern on a pillow. A piece of continuous lace can need 40 to 300 pairs of bobbins.

The typical Bruges type, Bruges flower lace, is a fine white lace made in parts: narrow tapes are made first and then joined. It was made in large quantities from about 1850 to 1950. Duchesse lace, made in Bruges and Brussels from the middle of the 19th century, is said to be named after Marie-Henriette, Duchess of Brabant.

## A short history of lace in Bruges

In 1717, after years of famine, the bishop of Bruges asked the Apostoline Sisters to open a lace school. Lace gave poor families an income, and the school was kept open even when others were closed. By 1860 it had 400 pupils.

Work was hard. In the 19th century many lacemakers sat in damp cellars, because fine linen thread breaks when it is too dry, and machine-made lace was already strong competition. From 1930 machine lace pushed the craft back, and the school's day classes stopped in 1961.

It did not die out. Interest returned from the 1960s, the Lace Centre was founded in 1970, and today hundreds of lacemakers in Flanders still design new work. Lacemaking in Flanders is listed as intangible heritage.

## The Lace Centre

The Lace Centre is a non-profit museum and knowledge centre in the former lace school of the Apostoline Sisters, a building from 1899 next to the Jerusalem Chapel. It moved there in 2014.

### The museum

on the ground floor, on the origins of lace, the techniques, the types of lace and lace teaching in Bruges, with films and multimedia.

### The demonstrations

upstairs, lacemakers work at their pillows from Monday to Saturday, 14:00 to 17:00. You can watch them and ask questions; it is included in the ticket.

### The shop

handmade lace with the city's "Handmade in Brugge" label, and books, thread, bobbins and pillows.

### Workshops

an introductory workshop of about two hours, for ages 9 to 99, on request by e-mail (info@kantcentrum.eu), and longer courses.

€8 Adult ticket, demonstrations included

## Tickets and opening hours

### Adults

€8.

### Reduced

€6 for ages 12 to 25, over-65s, teachers and groups of 15 or more.

### Free

under 12 with an adult, residents of Bruges and holders of the museumPASSmusées.

### Combined ticket

€13 with the Folk Museum across the street, at Balstraat 43.

### Musea Brugge Card

not listed as valid at the Lace Centre (it is valid at the Folk Museum).

### Hours

Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 17:00. Closed on Sundays and public holidays. Online tickets until 16:00.

### Access

the entrance is step-free, with a lift and an adapted toilet. Dogs are not allowed.

## Handmade or machine-made?

In Bruges the simplest sign is the city's "Handmade in Brugge" label, which the Lace Centre's shop carries.

The Textile Research Centre in Leiden gives a few clues, and warns that the two can be very hard to tell apart:

### Both sides

handmade lace looks the same on both sides; on machine lace the outlining thread often shows only on the front.

### The edge

on handmade lace the edge is made together with the piece; on machine lace it is often made separately and sewn on.

### The ground

machine-made grounds look looser and more regular.

## Around the Lace Centre

### The Jerusalem Chapel

next door on the Adornes estate, consecrated in 1429 and rebuilt by Anselm Adornes after the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Its stained glass, from around 1560, is the oldest in Bruges. €11, closed on Sundays.

### The Lacemakers' Square

the small square where Balstraat meets four other streets, named in 2003 in honour of the women who made lace in the St Anne quarter.

### The Folk Museum

opposite, on daily life in Bruges, part of Musea Brugge.

## How long do you need?

As a guide: 45 minutes to an hour, plus time to watch the lacemakers. Come after 14:00 to see them at work.

## Getting there from Hotel Karel de Stoute

The Lace Centre is about 18 minutes on foot from our door on Moerstraat, east across the Carmersbrug and through the quiet streets of the St Anne quarter. Remember that it is closed on Sundays.

## Frequently asked questions

Where can I see lace being made in Bruges?

At the Lace Centre on Balstraat, where lacemakers work from Monday to Saturday, 14:00 to 17:00. It is included in the €8 ticket.

How much is the Lace Centre in Bruges?

€8 for adults, €6 for ages 12 to 25 and over-65s, free under 12 with an adult. A combined ticket with the Folk Museum costs €13.

Is the Lace Centre open on Sunday?

No. It is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 to 17:00 and closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Is Bruges lace still made today?

Yes. Hundreds of lacemakers in Flanders still make and design lace, and the Lace Centre runs courses and trains teachers.

How can I tell handmade lace from machine lace?

Look for the city's "Handmade in Brugge" label. Handmade lace usually looks the same on both sides and has its edge worked into the piece, but even experts find the two hard to tell apart.

Can I learn to make lace in Bruges?

Yes. The Lace Centre offers an introductory workshop of about two hours on request, and longer courses.

## More guides

All guides (https://www.chocolatehotel.be/en/bruges#guides)

- Burgundian history
  ### Charles the Bold and Burgundian Bruges
  The duke our house was built for, his wedding of 1468 and where to see his traces.
  Read the guide
  https://www.chocolatehotel.be/en/bruges/charles-the-bold
- Museums
  ### Gruuthuse Museum
  The palace of Louis of Gruuthuse: 500 years of Bruges in tapestries, lace and stained glass.
  Read the guide
  https://www.chocolatehotel.be/en/bruges/gruuthuse-museum
- Museums
  ### Bruges museums: which one for what, and the museum card
  The Musea Brugge Card, the closing days and which museum suits which visit.
  Read the guide
  https://www.chocolatehotel.be/en/bruges/bruges-museums

Image: Horse carriages waiting on the Markt in front of the stepped gable houses (https://www.chocolatehotel.be/assets/explore-close-markt-carriages-DvfjOgsq.webp)

## Stay in a house built for Charles the Bold

Moerstraat 23, five minutes from the Markt. Book here for €10 less than on Booking.com.

Check Availability (https://www.chocolatehotel.be/booking)

We use cookies to analyse traffic and improve your experience. Choose whether to accept them — read our cookie policy (https://www.chocolatehotel.be/en/cookies).

Book Now (https://www.chocolatehotel.be/booking)

## Structured data

```json
[
  {
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "Article",
    "headline": "Bruges lace: the Lace Centre, the afternoon demonstrations and how to recognise handmade lace",
    "image": "https://www.chocolatehotel.be/assets/guide-bruges-lace-hero-Du63jQ-l.webp",
    "datePublished": "2026-11-03",
    "dateModified": "2026-11-03",
    "author": {
      "@type": "Organization",
      "name": "Hotel Karel de Stoute"
    },
    "publisher": {
      "@type": "Organization",
      "name": "Hotel Karel de Stoute"
    },
    "inLanguage": "en",
    "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.chocolatehotel.be/en/bruges/bruges-lace"
  },
  {
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
    "itemListElement": [
      {
        "@type": "ListItem",
        "position": 1,
        "name": "Home",
        "item": "https://www.chocolatehotel.be/en"
      },
      {
        "@type": "ListItem",
        "position": 2,
        "name": "Explore",
        "item": "https://www.chocolatehotel.be/en/bruges"
      },
      {
        "@type": "ListItem",
        "position": 3,
        "name": "Bruges lace: the Lace Centre, the afternoon demonstrations and how to recognise handmade lace",
        "item": "https://www.chocolatehotel.be/en/bruges/bruges-lace"
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@type": "FAQPage",
    "mainEntity": [
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "Where can I see lace being made in Bruges?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "At the Lace Centre on Balstraat, where lacemakers work from Monday to Saturday, 14:00 to 17:00. It is included in the €8 ticket."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "How much is the Lace Centre in Bruges?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "€8 for adults, €6 for ages 12 to 25 and over-65s, free under 12 with an adult. A combined ticket with the Folk Museum costs €13."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "Is the Lace Centre open on Sunday?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "No. It is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 to 17:00 and closed on Sundays and public holidays."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "Is Bruges lace still made today?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "Yes. Hundreds of lacemakers in Flanders still make and design lace, and the Lace Centre runs courses and trains teachers."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "How can I tell handmade lace from machine lace?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "Look for the city's \"Handmade in Brugge\" label. Handmade lace usually looks the same on both sides and has its edge worked into the piece, but even experts find the two hard to tell apart."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "Can I learn to make lace in Bruges?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "Yes. The Lace Centre offers an introductory workshop of about two hours on request, and longer courses."
        }
      }
    ]
  }
]
```