Oostends Historisch Museum De Plate, Local history museum in Ostend, Belgium
The Oostends Historisch Museum De Plate occupies an 18th-century house on Langestraat, built between 1770 and 1780 and owned by the Koninklijke Schenking. Its light-grey rendered facade rises three storeys above a grey plinth, with three columns of windows and a dark grey stone portal. Two white flags read "Oostend" and "DE STAD AAN ZEE".
The museum was founded in 1899 by city councilor A. Liebaert and relocated several times before settling in its current location in the former royal residence in 2002. This move allowed the city's history to be presented in a building with royal connections.
The museum shows how Ostend has been connected to the sea for centuries through ship models, fishing equipment, and souvenirs from passenger services to Britain. These collections reflect the importance of the harbor to daily life in the city.
The museum is open Monday and Wednesday through Sunday from 13:30 to 18:00, with guided tours available through a smartphone app. Wear comfortable shoes, as the rooms are spread across multiple levels and exploring takes time.
The museum building on Langestraat was constructed between 1770 and 1780 and was probably first owned by Joseph Olliviers and his wife Marie Van den Heede, who sold it to Theodore van Moorsel on 23 January 1789. The property later passed to the Koninklijke Schenking, the royal trust that still owns it.
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