Bruges Diamond Museum

Bruges history as the oldest European diamond center

Where do diamonds come from? How does a rough diamond become a sparkling brilliant? What does a rough diamond even look like and where do you find them? How much is a carat? Why is Belgium known worldwide for trading diamonds? And how strong is the hardest material on earth really? These and many more questions are answered in a unique way at the Diamond Museum in Bruges!

Bruges Diamond Museum
Museum Information

The Diamond Museum in Bruges

Belgium is one of the largest diamond exporters in the world. No wonder that one of the best museums for diamonds is also located here. Particularly famous for the trade of diamonds is the Belgian city of Antwerp. But Bruges has also been a diamond city for a long time. At the Bruges Diamond Museum, visitors get a glimpse of how the trade of diamonds goes. The process from rough diamond to brilliant is also presented in detail and interactively.

The museum has set itself the task of collecting and exhibiting tools and other artifacts from diamond production. Diamond fans will have the opportunity to admire the pieces on display and learn more about the history of diamonds in an interactive way. School groups are also welcome to visit the museum and learn more about the importance of diamonds to Bruges. The Diamond Museum is located in the heart of the city of Bruges and is very easy to find.

Unique in the Bruges Diamond Museum: The Diamond Show

The Diamond Show is a daily program item at the museum and is considered the highlight of the Diamond Museum. This spectacle fascinates not only children! Visitors to the show not only learn a lot of interesting facts about the process that takes place when a rough diamond is cut into a brilliant. They can be part of this process live! A diamond cutter performs the process in front of the visitors. Questions are not only allowed, but even very welcome. Spectators will also learn more about what happens to the diamonds once they are finished.

The history of the museum

Belgium has a long history of trading diamonds. Long before Antwerp and Amsterdam became the center of the diamond business, Bruges was a transshipment point for the precious gemstones. It is therefore not surprising that the Diamond Museum was opened in Bruges on June 19, 1999. Since its opening, the museum has repeatedly been the scene of exhibitions that receive international attention. For example, in 2009 it hosted the exhibition Di-Amour, which focused on the history of the diamond ring. The exhibition Heroes of the diamondindustrie in 2012 was all about the most famous Belgian diamond cutters.