Stedelijk Museum Hoogstraten

Stedelijk Museum Hoogstraten is a municipal museum set within the beguinage of Hoogstraten — one of Flanders' most beautiful beguinages, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1999. The museum tells the story of the town and the surrounding area historically known as the "Land of Hoogstraten," combining everyday local history with the region's craft and artistic heritage.

How did the museum come to be?

The collection's roots go back to 1928, when the local Historical Society of Hoogstraten decided to gather and safeguard objects connected to the town's past. What began as a small assembly of artifacts grew over time into a full municipal museum, which today manages an extensive collection spanning hundreds of objects, from everyday items to archaeological finds.

What does the permanent exhibition show?

The permanent display guides visitors from the region's prehistory through to the modern history of Hoogstraten. Among the exhibits are 16th-century matrices used for the town's official seals, ex-votos once offered for religious purposes, and distinctive Hoogstraten pottery that testifies to the town's old ceramics tradition. A separate group of objects comes from archaeological excavations carried out both within the beguinage itself and elsewhere in Hoogstraten, allowing the museum to document layers of history reaching back well before the town took its present shape.

Why is the painter Alfred Ost significant here?

An important chapter in the collection's history is tied to the painter Alfred Ost (1884–1945), who in 1937 donated around eighty of his works to the municipality of Hoogstraten. Known for his expressive style and numerous sketches connected to the Kempen region, Ost's gift added a substantial body of early 20th-century Flemish art to the museum's holdings. His works remain one of the pillars of the museum's art collection to this day.

Does the museum host temporary exhibitions?

Beyond its permanent display, Stedelijk Museum Hoogstraten organizes four temporary exhibitions every year. This keeps the museum's offering fresh, giving regular visitors good reason to return — the temporary shows cover both local history and broader themes of art and craftsmanship connected to the region.

Where exactly is the museum located?

The museum's setting inside the beguinage is no coincidence — the beguinage itself is a heritage site of the highest order, with its characteristic architecture and the atmosphere of a former community of lay religious women (beguines). A visit to the museum can naturally be combined with a walk through the beguinage's quiet streets, rounding out the historical experience.

Frequently asked questions

What does Stedelijk Museum Hoogstraten focus on? The museum presents the history and prehistory of Hoogstraten and its surrounding region, gathering artifacts related to local crafts, archaeology, and art.

Since when has the collection been built? The collection dates back to 1928, when the local Historical Society founded the town's first museum.

What kind of exhibits can visitors see? Among them are 16th-century town seal matrices, ex-votos, Hoogstraten pottery, and archaeological finds from the beguinage.

Whose paintings are part of the collection? Around eighty works by the painter Alfred Ost, donated to the municipality in 1937.

Does the museum hold temporary exhibitions? Yes, four per year, alongside the permanent exhibition on the town's history.

Where is the museum located? Inside the beguinage of Hoogstraten, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1999.