Gruuthusemuseum

The Gruuthusemuseum, at Dijver 17 in Brugge, Belgium, occupies the former townhouse of the Lords of Gruuthuse, a wealthy family who held a monopoly on the tax on gruut, the herb mixture used to flavour beer before hops. The house was built mostly in the 15th century and is one of the best examples of Gothic domestic architecture in the Flemish Region, with a brick facade facing the Dijver canal and a private oratory opening directly into the neighbouring Church of Our Lady. That oratory, with its view over the church choir, is among the highlights of the visit. The museum shows daily life and the decorative arts from the Middle Ages to the 19th century through around 700 objects. Visitors move through a sequence of rooms with tapestries, carved furniture, lace, ceramics, silverware, musical instruments, weapons and sculpture. A notable piece is a bust of Emperor Charles V by Conrad Meit, and there are collections of medieval devotional art, glass, clocks and domestic tools. The route also covers the story of the Gruuthuse family and the city's decline and revival. The house layout gives a feel for how a merchant elite lived, with a kitchen, bedchambers and a garden terrace. Plan roughly one to 1.5 hours, with an audio guide available. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:30 to 17:00 and closed on Mondays. Entry is about EUR 14-16, children under 13 enter free, and the Musea Brugge Card covers it. Afternoons are usually quieter than the Groeningemuseum, which sits a few steps away, so visitors often tour the paintings in the morning and this house after lunch. The building has several staircases and narrow passages, so crowds can feel tight in peak season. The canal-side facade is best photographed from the Steenhouwersdijk quay across the water.