Diamond Museum Brugge

The Diamond Museum Brugge, at Katelijnestraat 43 in Brugge, Belgium, is a small museum about diamonds and the city's role in the history of diamond cutting. Brugge is often credited as the place where diamond polishing techniques advanced in the 15th century, when Lodewijk van Bercken is said to have developed the scaif, a polishing wheel that allowed symmetrical facets, helping to launch the trade that later moved to Antwerp. The museum sits in a historic building on Katelijnestraat, about eight minutes' walk from the Markt, near the Church of Our Lady and the Begijnhof. Its exhibition covers the formation of diamonds in the earth, the history of mining, the journey from rough stone to polished gem, and the cuts and grading used today. Visitors see rough stones, models of famous diamonds, antique tools and displays of jewellery, as well as a film on the history of the trade. The central attraction is the daily live demonstration in which a diamond polisher shows how a rough stone is cleaved, cut and polished by hand, usually explained in several languages. Entry costs about EUR 12, and the museum is open daily from about 10:30 to 17:30, with the demonstration at set times. Plan about an hour. The museum has a shop selling diamond jewellery, and visitors should know that purchases are optional. The afternoon is generally calm, though midday can be busier when a demonstration is scheduled, and the final hour before closing is quietest. The museum is small enough to combine with a stroll to the Minnewater lake and the Begijnhof, which both lie within a short walk to the south. English labelling is provided throughout. The displays are modest compared with larger museums, so it suits visitors with a particular interest in gems or jewellery or those wanting a short indoor stop on a wet day.