De School van Toen

De School van Toen ("The School of Yesteryear") is a small museum in Ghent dedicated to the history of education, housed in a former school building at Klein Raamhof 8. The building itself dates from 1901 and served as an ordinary city school for decades before being converted into a museum that recreates classrooms as they looked roughly a century ago.

What is inside the museum?

The interior is arranged to reflect a typical Belgian school from around 1920. The building has two floors: the ground floor holds two classrooms dedicated to religion and pedagogy, while the first floor contains four further rooms covering general subjects such as language, arithmetic and geography. Each room is set up thematically, filled with original school furniture, wall charts and teaching aids from the period.

What does the collection contain?

The museum's holdings were assembled to preserve the memory of everyday school life for pupils and teachers in Ghent's municipal schools. The collection includes photographs of schools and classes, textbooks, instructional wall charts, administrative documents, report cards and merit certificates, as well as small handicrafts once made by pupils during practical lessons. Together these objects paint a picture of the education system that operated in the city around the turn of the 20th century.

Who is the museum aimed at?

The site is especially popular with school groups — around ten thousand children visit each year, often using the trip to compare their own classroom experience with one from a century earlier. Visits are run as interactive lessons, where participants can sit at old-fashioned school desks, write on slate tablets and learn about historical teaching methods, including the stricter discipline of the era.

How can you visit?

De School van Toen does not operate like a typical museum with fixed opening hours for walk-in visitors. Visits take place from Monday to Friday, strictly by appointment made in advance by email. Admission is free for individual visitors, making it an accessible, education-focused stop for families exploring Ghent beyond its more famous landmarks.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to book in advance? Yes, the museum only receives visitors by prior appointment, Monday through Friday.

How much does admission cost? Admission is free for individual visitors.

Where exactly is the museum located? At Klein Raamhof 8 in central Ghent, inside a former school building dating from 1901.

Is the museum suitable for children? Yes, children are one of its main audiences — around ten thousand children visit each year as part of school trips.