Bokrijk

The Bokrijk Provincial Domain (Dutch: Provinciaal Domein Bokrijk, [ˈbɔkrɛi̯k]) is a park and museum complex near Genk, Province of Limburg in Belgium. It is known for its open-air museum which displays a large collection of historical buildings from across Flanders which presents the history of rural life in the region. The domain is 5.5 square kilometres (2.1 sq mi) in area and also hosts an important botanical garden (arboretum), nature reserve, and the largest open-air playground in Flanders.

History

On March 9, 1252

There are 148 authentic buildings that form the heart of the heritage collection. Also in the collection are some 30,000 pieces of everyday life from the 17th century to 1950. It has been designed to be interactive and includes staff who take on the roles of people from different periods. The oldest building dates back to 1507. Although the emphasis is on farms and farming, there are other examples of village life such as a smithy, a school, a church, an inn and several craftsmen's buildings. Due to changes in Belgian heritage law, buildings can now only be preserved in situ. Therefore, no more buildings can be moved to Bokrijk.

The museum's preserved buildings are grouped in three clusters on the site which are arranged by their region of origin:

1. "The Kempen"
2. "East and West Flanders"
3. "Haspengouw and the Maasland"

A fourth area in the south-west corner of the site is dedicated to The Sixties.

The region of the museum that represents East and West Flanders has no village setting. Instead there are a number of buildings that show characteristic workplaces and housing.

The Kempen region lies between the Scheldt polders and Maaskant in north-east Flanders. The museum has reproduced the traditional timber farm dwellings typical of the region as it was over a century ago.

The region of

• 
  Gateway from Heers (1774) which serves as the museum's entrance
• 
  Schriek
• 
  Living history - distilling jenever on authentic pot still
• 
  Historical re-enactment

Arboretum

Bokrijk is also home to one of the largest plant collections in Belgium. Started in 1965, the first arboretum covered 18 hectares. The plant collection was arranged into ornamental gardens such as the Mediterranean garden, a conservatory, a fern garden, woodland and marsh areas. Some of the plant collection has been included in the Open Air Museum, such as the herb and vegetable gardens. Near the castle and playground is the Scents and Colour garden.

The Wik

This is a large nature reserve that is not open to the public, but is part of the Bokrijk parkland. Consisting of nineteen lakes and fifty acres of woodland, thickets and marsh, the site is managed by Natuurpunt [nl]. This is a volunteer organisation that owns and manages, with the help of volunteers, natural areas of Flanders.^[1]

Playground

The playground situated in the parkland also houses the Speelschuur (Play Shed). There is the usual collection of play equipment on offer as well as miniature golf and mini cars.

• 
  Botanical gardens
• 
  Children's playground

Literature

• De Keyzer (Laurens). The Open-Air Museum Bokrijk. Gent-Amsterdam, Ludion, Ludion Guides, 2001, 128p. (photos: Michiel Hendryckx)
• Rentzhog (Sten). Open Air Museums. The history and future of a visionary idea. Kristianstad, Carlsson/Jamtli, 2007, 530p. (
  ISBN 978-91-7948-208-4
  )

External links

Media related to Bokrijk open-air museum at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website of Bokrijk
• Bokrijk Adventurepark
• Review on Bokrijk
• Het Groene Huis (The Green House)
• Plantcol, Belgian botanical collections
• Regionaal Landschap Lage Kempen
• Het Wik
• Wereldplein

50°58′N 5°25′E / 50.967°N 5.417°E / 50.967; 5.417