Bois du Cazier — Former coal mine and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Marcinelle, now an impressive industrial heritage museum. Wheelchair accessible.
Bois du Cazier
♿ Wheelchair accessible Museum
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Bois du Cazier

Report an issue
♿ Wheelchair accessible

Le Bois du Cazier is a former coal mine in Marcinelle, near Charleroi, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012. The site commemorates the mining disaster of 8 August 1956, in which 262 miners lost their lives. Today it houses three museums: the Museum of Industry, the Museum of Glass and the Museum of Coal, along with a memorial space and slag heaps that bring the industrial past of Wallonia to life.

Accessibility at Le Bois du Cazier is good. The grounds and museum spaces are wheelchair accessible, with adapted access routes and lifts where needed. Disabled parking spaces are available close to the entrance, and adapted toilets are provided. The exhibition rooms on the ground floor are easily accessible. The outdoor area with the memorial site and slag heaps is predominantly paved and navigable for wheelchair users.

Le Bois du Cazier is located at Rue du Cazier 80 in Marcinelle and is easily reached from Charleroi. In addition to the museums, the site offers temporary exhibitions, a cafeteria and a bookshop. A visit can be combined with a walk over the slag heaps, from where you can enjoy panoramic views over the region. The site regularly organises events and commemorations that keep alive the industrial and human story of the Walloon mining region.

Good to know

Reservation
No reservation needed for individual visits. Adapted guided tours for groups with reduced mobility can be booked in advance via the website.
Busy and quiet times
Busy on 8 August (annual commemoration of the mining disaster) and during school holidays. Weekdays are quiet; ideal for an in-depth visit to the three museums.
Things to note
Three museums and the memorial site are fully accessible via lift and ramps. The slag-heap paths are partly navigable up to a viewpoint — going further is not advised in a standard wheelchair.
Visit tip
Disabled-parking spaces close to the entrance. Combine with BPS22 or the Musée de la Photographie in Charleroi for half a day of Hainaut cultural heritage.
Visited this place in a wheelchair? Share your experience

Not what you expected? Or smoother than the page suggests? Share it here — every submission is reviewed before it appears on the site.