Frietmuseum, Food museum in Saaihalle, Bruges, Belgium.
The Frietmuseum occupies the historic Saaihalle building and tells the story of potatoes and how they became a fried delicacy through displays, historical documents, and cooking equipment spread across three levels. The exhibition explains traditional cooking methods and shows how preparation techniques have changed over time.
The building dates back to 1399 and originally served as a trading center for Genoese merchants in Bruges. When the museum opened there in 2008, it became the world's first institution dedicated to telling the story of this particular food.
The museum's collection comes from three sources: old machines from former fry-shop owner Eddy Cooremans, Inca-era ceramic pots shaped like potatoes, and objects gathered by art historian Paul Ilegems. Ilegems had already opened a small fry museum above the Fritkot Max in Antwerp and helped with the Bruges opening in 2008.
The museum is at Vlamingstraat 33 in the Gothic Saaihalle, one of the oldest buildings in the historic centre of Bruges. Exhibits occupy three floors: potatoes on the ground floor, fries on the first floor, and a cafe in the medieval basement. The entrance is through the arched doorway marked with a green "friet museum" sign.
The museum's collection was assembled from three sources: old machines from former fry-shop owner Eddy Cooremans, Inca-era ceramic pots shaped like potatoes, and objects gathered by art historian Paul Ilegems, who had already opened a small fries museum above the Fritkot Max in Antwerp.
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