Bruges (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Adornes Museum in Bruges is renovating historic almshouses, once housing poor women, in the Sint-Anna district. The Flemish government contributes €342,000 to preserve the medieval heritage and the Adornes family legacy.
As VRT News reported, the Adornes Museum in Bruges has launched a major renovation of its 6 historic almshouses. These old houses have hosted the museum for more than 10 years. They are part of the Adornes Domain.
Jelle Deltombe of the museum said,
“We’re going to completely renovate the six old almshouses. There will be extra security, insulation, and climate control. After eleven years, it was time for a major overhaul.”
The first phase of the project will focus on the masonry and natural stone walls, the roof structure and beam trusses, and the roof and zinc work.
How will the €535,800 renovation transform Bruges’ Adornes museum?
The 2nd phase will focus on the interiors and finishing work. This includes carpentry, interior improvements, façade repairs, and painting. The total cost of the renovation is €535,800. The Government of Flanders will contribute €342,000.
“It’s a valuable collection, and we want to be more than just an educational museum,”
says Deltombe.
“After the renovation, we’ll be able to permanently display pieces from the collection.”
Renovation work will commence next week at the Adornes Museum. The project’s emphasis lies on the almshouses with an expected completion date of about a year. During this time, the almshouses will be temporarily closed while the museum grounds and all exhibitions will remain accessible to visitors. Officials stated that, after the renovation work, the almshouses will be fully preserved while continuing to tell the history and story of Anselm Adornes and his family.
The almshouses have been on site since 2014 as part of the museum. They belong to the 15th-century Adornes Estate, which was built by the Genoese family, the Adornos. The estate includes the Jerusalem Chapel, built in 1429 and based on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
The Adornos have owned the estate for 17 generations, contributing to Bruges’ economy and culture. During the renovation, the almshouses will be closed, but visitors can still explore the museum grounds and exhibitions.
