Huis van Alijn, Ethnographic museum in Kraanlei, Ghent, Belgium
Huis van Alijn is an ethnographic museum housed in a 16th-century building and displays collections that document everyday life in Flanders. The exhibition includes photographs, handcrafts, and personal objects that show how people lived and worked in earlier times.
The museum began in 1926 as a group dedicated to preserving Flemish folklore and moved to its current location in 1962, which was once a hospital. The name changed in 2000 and refers to a family that lived in the building.
The house shows how daily life in Flanders has changed over generations and what customs and celebrations still matter today. The exhibitions reveal how people work, celebrate, and pass down their traditions.
The museum sits along the water's edge near the city center and is easy to reach on foot. Visitors should allow time to explore the different exhibition rooms, as each space covers different aspects of Flemish life.
Deep inside the museum, a traditional hand puppet theater has been performing for decades and stages stories from Ghent in an authentic way. This old craft is still done by hand here, just as it once entertained children and families.
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