Huis van Alijn

The Huis van Alijn is a unique folklore museum in the heart of Ghent, housed in a 14th-century medieval almshouse. The museum tells the story of everyday life in the 20th century through a rich collection of household objects, photographs, and films. From washday to Christmas: each room evokes memories.

Important for wheelchair users — honest state of play (with thanks to the museum's accessibility officer, 2026-08). The historic almshouse is currently only partly accessible. What you should know before visiting:

• Only the ground floor is visitable; there is no lift to the first floor, which also holds museum rooms.
• The courtyard is cobblestone and there are small thresholds between spaces — a wheelchair user needs to be willing to cross these (or bring assistance).
• An accessible toilet is provided, but many wheelchair users experience it as too small.
• A thorough renovation that would significantly improve accessibility is planned but not yet carried out — this will take several more years.

If you use a larger wheelchair or depend on a spacious accessible toilet, a visit today may be frustrating. For visitors who can manage small thresholds and are satisfied with the ground floor, a partial visit remains possible.

The museum is located in the Patershol district, a pedestrian zone. Disabled parking is available on the nearby Kraanlei. The museum is reachable via the Gravensteen tram stop. For concrete questions about your visit, we recommend contacting the museum in advance.