Musée du Houblon Poperinge

The Hop Museum in Poperinge (Hopmuseum / Musée du Houblon) is Belgium's only museum entirely dedicated to hop growing and the brewing culture of the Westhoek region. It occupies a building on Gasthuisstraat 71 that once served as the town's public scales ("Stadsschaal"), where harvested hops were weighed, inspected and stacked until as late as the 1960s. The building itself is therefore part of the story the museum tells.

What can you see inside?

The exhibition spans four floors and takes visitors through centuries of hop cultivation around Poperinge, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. Along the way you learn about the farming families who worked the fields for generations, the seasonal workers who traveled in for the harvest, and the whole journey of hops from the field to the brew kettle. Two recurring characters guide the tour - "the Bagger" and "the Nose" - who accompany visitors through the growing cycle, the harvest season and the many uses of hops.

What does the exhibition feel like?

The museum leans into a multi-sensory experience: alongside authentic farming tools, historical documents, photographs and scale models, there are audiovisual presentations and even scents connected to growing and drying hops. Following a thorough renovation completed after 2018, the building is now fully accessible, with a spacious lift connecting all four floors - a notable improvement for visitors with reduced mobility. Texts and the audio guide are available in Dutch, English, French and German.

Why Poperinge?

The area around Poperinge has been a centre of Belgian hop production for centuries, and the crop remains a defining part of the local economy and identity. The museum is a natural starting point for anyone curious about where the flavour of Belgian beer comes from, and about the everyday work of the farmers behind one of its key ingredients.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the museum located? At Gasthuisstraat 71 in Poperinge, inside the historic former public scales building.

How many floors does the exhibition cover? Four floors, connected by a lift accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.

What languages are the museum materials available in? Dutch, English, French and German, including the audio guide.

When is the museum open? From March 1 to November 30, Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00-17:30 (last entry at 16:30); during the spring and Christmas school holidays, Tuesday to Sunday, 14:00-17:30. The museum is closed on Mondays.

What is the main highlight of the museum? The former public scales building itself, along with the authentic tools, documents and photographs that trace the centuries-long history of hop growing around Poperinge.