The Winter Garden of the Ursulines is getting ready for its reopening in May 2024

A new chapter begins at the end of May 2024 for the Winter Garden of the Ursulines in Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Waver. The heritage gem will reopen its doors to the general public after restoration work. An interactive experience trail will take visitors back to the heyday of the Ursuline Institute . Stichting Kempens Landschap is the driving force behind the works and the development of the new museum experience.

Hidden away in the heart of Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Waver, near Mechelen, is the largest publicly accessible art-nouveau site in Flanders: the Winter Garden of the Ursulines. The enchanting Winter Garden with colourful stained-glass dome is part of a building complex that has been listed as a monument. The Ursuline sisters had the structure built in 1900 as a reception room to attract the daughters of wealthy bourgeois from around the world. Because of its remarkable history and unique architecture, the site has enormous tourist potential.

We are convinced that the Winter Garden 2.0 is going to attract many people. The Ursuline sisters put this place on the international map at the beginning of the twentieth century. We can do them no greater honour than to pursue that ambition again. With a wonderful result: visitors from home and abroad are going to enjoy an appealing attraction.

Stichting Kempens Landschap has held the patrimony on a long lease since 2017. The organization can count on heritage grants of around 174,000 and 178,000 euros from the Flanders Heritage Agency and a leverage grant of 1,269,282 euros from Tourism Flanders for the project. In addition, the Cultural Infrastructure Fund (FoCi) of the Flemish Government awarded an investment grant to improve the physical accessibility of the Winter Garden. That grant of more than 57,000 euros made it possible to improve access for disabled visitors.

Planning a visit to the Winter Garden? Buy your tickets online. Discover the different visiting formulas and rates.