Museum 't Krekelhof

Museum 't Krekelhof is a small, privately run crafts museum and cabinet of curiosities located in Koksijde, at Koninklijke Baan 237 in the Sint-Idesbald district. Its name and character come from the Vandamme family, who spent decades passionately gathering objects tied to traditional crafts and everyday rural life in Flanders.

Where did the collection come from?

The Vandamme family, themselves descended from smallholder farmers, spent years collecting tools, household items, toys and everyday objects from the first half of the 20th century. Over time this grew into a substantial collection, including entire themed cabinets — from workshop tools to reconstructed interiors of old farmhouses. The museum opened its doors in 1998, offering from the very start a café and a children's garden styled after the early 1900s.

What can visitors see inside?

The exhibition is organized into nearly twenty themes dedicated to old trades and crafts that shaped the life of a small farmer on the Belgian coast. Visitors move through rooms filled with old agricultural tools, household equipment, toys and everyday objects that are now rare finds — together painting a picture of daily life a century ago. The "cabinet of curiosities" character is reinforced by natural history exhibits as well: taxidermied animals, fossils and insects that lend the place a slightly mysterious, collector's atmosphere.

How has the museum changed over the years?

A turning point in the museum's history came in November 2015, when 't Krekelhof joined forces with the artistic initiative Beautiful Freak/The Fisher King. Since then, artist Vincent Hocquet has served as curator of the collection, bringing a more creative dimension to the museum by blending the traditional crafts collection with elements of contemporary art and curiosity. Since 2017, on the last Saturday of every month, the museum has hosted cultural events — concerts, historical talks and interactive theatre pieces — keeping the place alive beyond its permanent exhibition through a recurring program of gatherings.

How can you visit the museum?

Today 't Krekelhof operates on an intimate scale — it is open only by reservation, mainly for small groups. Anyone wishing to visit should contact the organizers directly by phone or email in advance. This model gives the experience a more personal feel than at larger museums: often it is family members or curators themselves who guide visitors through the rooms, sharing the stories behind individual exhibits.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the museum located? At Koninklijke Baan 237, in Sint-Idesbald, part of the municipality of Koksijde on the Belgian coast.

Is the museum open every day? No — it currently operates by reservation only, usually for small groups.

What is the collection mainly about? Old trades and professions tied to the life of a smallholder farmer, along with everyday objects from the first half of the 20th century, complemented by cabinet-of-curiosities pieces such as natural history specimens and unusual objects.

Does the museum host additional events? Yes, since 2017 it has organized concerts, talks and theatre performances on the last Saturday of each month.

Who currently curates the collection? Since the 2015 merger with Beautiful Freak/The Fisher King, artist Vincent Hocquet has served as curator.