Groeninge Museum (Bruges)

The Groeninge museum is Bruges’ flagship art museum and one of the very finest in Belgium. It houses a comprehensive collection of Flemish masters spanning over six centuries. Built in 1929 in a former abbey, the Groeninge museum is known as 'The city museum of Fine Arts' and had assembled much of its current collection by the early 18th century. Although its early Flemish masters are the major highlight for art lovers, it also shows a wide range of contemporary works. On cheap city breaks in Bruges, you will see a rich and varied collection of works from primarily Belgian artists including such famous names as Jan van Eyck and Rene Magritte.

 

The highlight is the world famous ‘Flemish Primitives’ collection, a series of medieval masterpieces such as the 15th century 'Madonna with Canon Joris van der Paele.' There is a detailed collection of Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces and neo-classicism from the 18th and 19th centuries. Other noteworthy exhibits include 'Death of the Holy Virgin' by Hugo van der Goes and 'The Baptism of Christ' by Gerard David. Through the year, on arty short breaks in Bruges, you can view temporary exhibitions of more familiar fare such as French Expressionism, classical sculpture and even modern photography.    

 

It is quite a bewildering place to explore, but guided tours are readily available and offer a good introduction to the history of Belgian art. Younger art lovers on Bruges weekend breaks will be fascinated by the contemporary galleries featuring some flamboyant pop art prints, media installations and surrealism. All works are well spread out in a dozen different exhibition rooms and generally follow a chronological order.