The Westhoek of Belgium is a grouping of areas famous for their World War I history. It is an amalgamation of towns, of which Ypres is probably the best known. One of their museums, In Flanders Fields, is completely dedicated to the First World War. So let’s talk about them and whether it’s worth the visit.
If you are very interested in the history of World War I, then yes, absolutely. The museum holds a large collection ranging from personal items of both civilians and soldiers to uniforms and weaponry. Screens throughout the expo allow you to listen to recorded eyewitness testimonies, brought to life by actors. Bringing us the emotions, opinions and daily lives of soldiers and regular people. This provides unique insights into the war and is definitely the highlight of the museum.
The museum itself is not that big and unfortunately a bit underlit. I get that this is for atmosphere purposes, but it does mean that people who want to study items in detail are having a hard time, because they’re difficult to see.
The building also suffers from poor accessibility. (The same goes for the Yper Museum around the corner.) You can go up the belfry at an extra cost, but only by stairs. So unless you are a First World War buff, the museum may not be worth the ticket price.
If you want experience more World War I history, Ypres isn’t a huge town and it’s easy to walk around and visit places. There is the Menenpoort, a monument dedicated to fallen soldiers whose bodies were never recovered. And there are of course many, many cemeteries. There is one in the ring around Ypres, which is part forest, and another much less visited one on the Slachthuisstraat. We were the only ones there when we visited.
Other than that, there are small monuments all around the town and even inside buildings. The Ariane Hotel, for example, has displays with uniforms and assorted inside their lobby. Well lit, so if you wish to study them, you can. Furthermore they have posters and displays all throughout the hotel.
There are more towns around Belgium with a lot of World War I history, but Ypres is certainly worth the trip if you’re in the country anyway.
