Visit a Special Venue

Visit Fort Napoleon, Mercator, Amandine, Mu.Zee, Atlantic Raversyde, The James Ensor House, City museum or another top location.

Fort Napoleon

At the end of the 18th century, France annexed our regions. Napoleon fears an attack from England on the port of Ostend and therefore has an imposing fortress built in the dunes in 1811. During both World Wars, the fortress was again used as an artillery depot by the German army. Erfgoed Vlaanderen has been managing Fort Napoleon since 1995. Erfgoed Vlaanderen took care of the restoration and turned it into an open monument. Today it houses a museum, bistro and restaurant.

Mercator

Polar explorer Adrien de Gerlache designed this three-master that was built in Scotland. The Mercator had only two commanders and made 54 voyages. In 1936 the Mercator retrieved the mortal remains of Father Damien. In 1960, the Mercator entered the port of Antwerp. In 1961 it was fitted out as a museum ship. Since 1964 the Mercator has been a jewel in the crown of Ostend.

Amandine

On April 3rd, 1995, the Amandine entered the port of Ostend for the last time. That day marked the end of Ostend’s Icelandic fishing industry. Fortunately, the Amandine was given a new life as a museum, and today you can once again visit this piece of maritime heritage!

Mu.ZEE - Closed until 2028 due to renovation work.

Mu.ZEE is the museum for Belgian art with maximum openness and accessibility. It tells stories with a unique collection of Belgian art from 1830 to the present day and is in dialogue with the international art scene through a leading exhibition programme and collection policy. Artists and the public find each other in a museum where they can experiment, question and discover.

Atlantikwall Raversyde

Atlantic Wall: Walk through two World Wars in bunkers and trenches ... The more than sixty bunkers, observation posts and artillery positions connected by two kilometres of open or subterranean corridors form one of the best-preserved parts of the German Atlantikwall defence line. It was built by the Germans during World War II from the French-Spanish border to Norway. The domain also contains the only preserved German coastal battery from the First World War. The Prince Charles Memorial keeps alive the memory of Prince Charles, who settled on the domain after his Regency (1944 - 1950).

Walraversijde: A medieval fishing village revives after 500 years... Step into the life of the 15th century fishing families of Walraversijde. Three houses and a bakery were rebuilt with bricks excavated on the spot. All the household goods and objects present are true replicas. The voices of the medieval inhabitants guide the visitors through this unique site via the audio guide. In the accompanying museum, original excavated objects are displayed and the life of the inhabitants is explained. The domain is partly located in a protected area of dunes and with an area of almost 50 hectares, it offers visitors a beautiful setting to explore on foot.

The James Ensor house

The James Ensor House not only bears the name of the artist, it is where Ensor lived and worked until his death in 1949. Almost immediately after his death, the house was converted into a museum, but it was only recently that it was restored to its original state and full glory. Moreover, by also integrating the adjoining building into the museum, The James Ensor House is the Mecca for fans of the artist.

City museum

The museum tells you Ostend’s fascinating life story and also casts light on its future. A host of objects, posters, documents and multimedia applications reveal the secrets behind the development of the city, its tourism, fishing industry and shipping.