Bruges Torture Museum

The Torture Museum Oude Steen is located in the historic heart of Bruges. In the early Middle Ages it served as the oldest prison in the city.

Recently, the 11th century cellar has been transformed into this historical museum. The museum traces the history of one of the darkest pages of humanity. Lifelike wax figures with authentic torture instruments will show in a penetrating way what man has been capable of, how much we have evolved in the meantime and where there are still pitfalls in the contemporary legal system. In the museum itself you will find dozens of wax figures that make it lifelike. The images give you the impression that you are being catapulted several centuries back in time. The statues wear the original attire of the people they represent in the past. Most torture instruments are authentic instruments that have been preserved over the centuries. For some instruments, a technique has been used to produce replicas as truthful as possible. In an old part of the medieval cellar, a room has been converted into a dungeon. Through the necessary lighting and audio techniques, it feels like you are taking a leap back into this very dark period.

Willem Vandenameele