Marc Derveeuw
Google
Extremely Disappointing Experience
This museum used to be a wonderful and accurate remembrance of life in Flanders around the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. It beautifully illustrated the hardships of our grandparents, cultural anthropology, and Flemish folklore – an ideal complement to a visit to the city of Ghent.
Unfortunately, under the new direction of Ann van Nieuwenhuysse, the museum has lost its essence. It has been transformed into a random collection of retro objects and pictures from the 1970s and 1980s. Instead of showcasing the evolution of Flemish life, it now feels like a nostalgic display of the director’s own youth – some items on display are still in use in my own home!
Even the guides, when I spoke with them, could not hide their disappointment and preferred not to comment on the new management’s choices. My Australian guests left frustrated, calling it a waste of €9.
There is plenty of space to show the transition from 150 years ago to modern times, but this new radical setup no longer reflects the history of Ghent or the Flemish folklore it once celebrated.
WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!