Museum of Folklore Border Life

From discovery to amazement, the Museum will take you on a journey through cross-border life (Picardy Wallonia/Western Flanders/Northern France), expressed through rich collections of objects, documents and testimonials.

On the edge of the province of Hainaut, on the border, Mouscron developed significantly in the middle of the 19th century, following the industrialisation of textiles in the towns of northern France and the mass migration of Flemish workers. This mix of populations gave rise to an interesting cultural identity made up of plurals and singularities.

The new infrastructure and original scenography provide a magnificent setting for our folklore treasures (Mies van der Rohe Award Nomination, Ianchelevici Triennial Prize 2019, Grand Prix d'Architecture de Wallonie 2019).

Gathered since 1953, the collections evoke working-class life (furniture, domestic objects), the trades (from the breadwinners to the craftsmen, from the farmers to the weavers, from the brickmakers to the clog makers), the shops, including grocery shops and estaminets, and, as a corollary, the fraudulent use of tobacco and alcohol, so common on both sides of the border. Not forgetting the many traditions linked to leisure activities and festivals, because even today, it is recognised that the local population likes to be entertained!

The museum is entirely accessible to reduced-mobility guests.