Zoe was Alleke

Zoe was Alleke is a small regional museum in the Belgian municipality of Alken, in the province of Limburg. Its name is a bit of a local wordplay — roughly translating to "that's how Alken used to be" — and it sets the tone immediately: this is a trip back in time to rural village life, not a formal art gallery or a big-city history exhibition.

Where is the museum located?

The museum occupies a former farmhouse at Alkerstraat 93. That choice of location is deliberate: the old farm buildings themselves capture the atmosphere the museum is trying to convey. Wooden beams, small rooms, and outbuildings form part of the experience even before visitors look at a single exhibit.

What is on display?

The collection focuses on everyday life in Alken during the 19th and first half of the 20th century, when the town was primarily a community of farmers, brewers, and craftspeople. On show are household items, agricultural tools, and equipment tied to traditional trades — carpentry, clog-making, and masonry among them. Each craft came with its own specialised tools, and the museum aims to present them in context rather than as isolated curiosities.

Who built this collection?

The museum was founded and built by Theo Cosemans, a local history enthusiast who spent years gathering objects connected to the region's rural past. It's thanks to his dedication that the collection grew coherent and extensive enough to become a permanent exhibition open to the public. The museum has a distinctly community-driven character — it grew out of local initiative rather than being set up as a top-down project by a larger museum network.

Temporary exhibitions and events

Beyond the permanent collection, "Zoe was Alleke" occasionally hosts small temporary exhibitions on specific topics tied to local heritage — such as childhood games and toys from decades past. These events are usually linked to the municipality of Alken's local events calendar and tend to be modest in scale, aimed more at residents and people interested in local history than at mass tourism.

Opening hours — what to keep in mind

The museum runs on a limited, somewhat unusual schedule that's worth factoring into any visit plan. Regular opening hours are restricted to the second Sunday of each month, from 2 PM to 6 PM. On other days, visits are only possible by prior appointment, and from December through February access is limited exclusively to appointment-based visits. In practice, this means a spontaneous drop-in visit is unlikely to work — it's best to check the Alken municipality's calendar or contact the organisers ahead of time.

Who is it for?

"Zoe was Alleke" is best suited to visitors interested in regional history, ethnography, and traditional crafts — it's not an attraction for casual tourists looking for quick entertainment, but rather an intimate space for those who want to understand what daily life looked like in Limburg more than a century ago. Thanks to its small scale and authentic farmhouse setting, a visit feels far more personal than a trip to a large ethnographic museum.

Frequently asked questions

Is the museum open every day? No — regular opening hours cover only the second Sunday of the month; at other times, visits require booking in advance.

Who founded the museum? The collection was assembled and the museum was created by Theo Cosemans.

What can you see there? Historic household items, farming tools, and exhibits related to traditional crafts such as carpentry, clog-making, and masonry.

Can it be visited in December, January, or February? Yes, but only by prior appointment.