Museum and Pharmacy Sint-Janshospitaal

The Museum and Pharmacy Sint-Janshospitaal occupies one of the oldest surviving hospital complexes in Europe, at Mariastraat 38 in Brugge, Belgium. Hospital care was provided here from the 12th century, and the medieval wards, with their timber roofs and brick walls, remain at the core of the site. The museum is best known for its collection of paintings by Hans Memling, who worked in Bruges in the late 15th century. Six works are displayed, including the Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine altarpiece and the Reliquary of Saint Ursula, a small gilded Gothic shrine painted with scenes from the saint's legend. The 17th-century hospital pharmacy is also preserved, with jars, tools and records, and further rooms hold works on the history of hospital care in the city. Visitors usually spend about an hour, longer with an audio guide or if they linger over the detail in the Memling panels. The wards also show paintings of the hospital's brothers and sisters and equipment from historic care. Mid-morning is a good time to arrive, as groups often cluster around the Memling room at midday and in the early afternoon. The museum is part of Musea Brugge and is covered by the Musea Brugge Card, which is worthwhile for anyone planning several museums; under-13s enter free. The site stands directly across from the Church of Our Lady and Michelangelo's Madonna, so the two are easily paired in one outing, ten minutes on foot from the Markt. Lighting in the Memling room is kept low to protect the panels, and the building's age means some floors and thresholds are uneven. Ticket prices are about EUR 14-16, and opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 09:30 to 17:00, with Monday closed.