Last week, on the occasion of Open Monuments Day, we secured the last 4 tickets for a tour of Arthur Merghelynck’s Museum in Ypres!
Our guide was the curator herself who captivated our group of 15 enthusiasts for an hour and a half on the theme of Travel.
The residence was built by Arthur’s ancestors who made their fortune in Ypres with their trade in tin.
Arthur’s love of Romanticism dominated the furnishing of the residence with 18th-century artefacts.
His personal challenge was to establish the first museum in Ypres for ‘Play Travellers’, bringing the world under his roof. Admission was free for non-residents of Ypres, but not for locals (an insult to the local gentry!).
We especially loved the Chinese ceramics, deciphering bucolic scenes and their spicy hidden meanings!!!
We love Arthur the romantic rebel and look forward to revisiting his renovated castle in Beauvoorde next summer. Will you come along?