Museums Stop 4 on our walk

The Gruuthuse Museum in Bruges: a palace, a beer tax and a window onto the church

Photo: Ricardalovesmonuments, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

The Gruuthuse Museum is the 15th-century palace of the lords of Gruuthuse on the Dijver, now filled with 500 years of Bruges life: tapestries, stained glass, lace, silver, manuscripts and furniture. Its highlight is a private oratory that looks straight into the choir of the Church of Our Lady. A ticket costs €15, the museum is closed on Wednesdays, and the entrance is by stairs only.

Staying in Bruges? Our nine rooms are a short walk from here. See the rooms

What is the Gruuthuse Museum?

It is the city palace of the Gruuthuse family, at Dijver 17, between the canal and the Church of Our Lady. The family grew rich on "gruut": the mix of herbs used to flavour beer before hops took over, and the tax that came with it. For a long time almost every barrel of beer brewed in or brought into Bruges paid that tax.

The man who gave the palace its grandeur was Louis of Gruuthuse, a nobleman at the Burgundian court in the 15th century. He extended the house and added the oratory. His motto was "Plus est en vous": there is more in you. The city bought the palace in 1875 and restored it in the late 19th century, so much of what you see inside is a neo-Gothic dream of the Middle Ages as much as the Middle Ages themselves.

After five years of restoration the museum reopened in 2019, with a new entrance pavilion in the courtyard. Musea Brugge describes it as "500 years of Bruges history in historic objects".

What should I not miss?

The oratory

a small late 15th-century chapel that connects the palace to the Church of Our Lady. From it the lords could follow Mass in private, looking down into the Gothic choir. It is still the most striking moment of the visit.

The tapestries

large Flemish wall hangings from the 16th and 17th centuries.

The table

a dining table from the 17th and 18th centuries, set with silver and Chinese porcelain.

Lace and stained glass

two crafts Bruges is still known for, in a city that made and traded them for centuries.

The bust of the young Charles V

a painted terracotta portrait from about 1520, often called the best-known object in the house.

The balcony

a view over the city.

How long do you need?

Musea Brugge gives no official time. As a guide, allow about an hour, or an hour and a half if you like to read every label. The Groeninge Museum (until 11 January 2027) and the Church of Our Lady are next door, and St John's Hospital is across the street, so it fits easily into a morning on the Dijver.

€15Adult ticket

Tickets and the museum card

Ticket

€15. Under 26 €13, 13 to 17 €7, under 13 free.

With the Church of Our Lady museum

a combined ticket costs €19 and is valid for 72 hours. This is the part of the church with Michelangelo's Madonna and Child and the tombs of Charles the Bold and Mary of Burgundy.

Musea Brugge Card

€49 (under 26 €37, under 18 €25), one visit to every open Musea Brugge location within 72 hours. The Gruuthuse Museum is included.

museumPASSmusées

the Belgian museum pass is valid here too.

Paying

the museum pavilion near the Gruuthuse and the museum shop at Dijver 16 take cash as well as cards.

Opening hours

Every day from 9:30 to 17:00, except Wednesday, all year round. The last entry is 30 minutes before closing.

Holidays: 24 and 31 December until 16:00, closed on 25 December and 1 January, Ascension Day until 12:30. Open on Easter Monday and Whit Monday.

The Wednesday closing is easy to miss, because most museums in Bruges close on Monday instead. That makes the Gruuthuse a good choice for a Monday.

Accessibility, children and bags

Access

the entrance is by stairs only, and the museum is not accessible by wheelchair. Folding chairs and walking sticks can be borrowed for free.

Children

under 13s enter free.

Bags

only hand luggage smaller than 34 × 22 cm can go in; lockers and the cloakroom are free.

Photos

allowed without flash or tripod, for personal use.

Getting there from Hotel Karel de Stoute

The museum is about 15 minutes on foot from our door on Moerstraat, through the centre to the Dijver. On our walk through historic Bruges it is the fourth stop, right after the Groeninge Museum.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Gruuthuse Museum closed?

Every Wednesday, and on 25 December and 1 January. On other days it opens from 9:30 to 17:00.

What does Gruuthuse mean?

"Gruut" was the herb mixture used to flavour beer, and the family held the right to tax it. "Huis" means house: the house of the gruut.

Is the Gruuthuse Museum included in the Musea Brugge Card?

Yes, as are the Groeninge Museum, BRUSK, the Belfry, St John's Hospital and the museum part of the Church of Our Lady.

Is the Gruuthuse Museum wheelchair accessible?

No. The entrance is by stairs only and there are steps inside.

Can I see Michelangelo's Madonna from the Gruuthuse?

No. The oratory looks into the choir of the Church of Our Lady, but the Madonna is in the church's own museum part. A combined ticket for both costs €19.

Is the Gruuthuse Museum open on Mondays?

Yes. It closes on Wednesdays instead, so it is a good choice on a Monday, when the Groeninge Museum, BRUSK and St John's Hospital are closed.