We were really disappointed with our visit to the Historium - we were under the impression that it would be a really immersive way to learn about the history of such a beautiful and historic city, but this was not the case. While the exhibits themselves are impressive, a lot of focus is on a story that was like a rubbish daytime tv drama and didn’t teach any history at all. Ironic really as a parting sentence from the main character is ‘now I go on to share the history of this beautiful city with others’…! We couldn’t access the final exhibition as a huge school group were in there and we had to fight to even pass them towards the exit. Perhaps it would be fairer to close off to the general public during the time of a school group. We paid €44 for two of us to go around, and it honestly felt like a huge waste of money and we wish we had saved our money to spend elsewhere. It might be fun to go with children, but avoid if planning to attend as an adult.
Historium Story Ticket
+10 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 1 hour
- Price from
- $24 / person
- Location
- Bruges, Belgium
- Rating
- 3.5 / 5 · 99 reviews
- Languages
- DE, DE, RU, RU
- Group
- Small group, up to 15
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Historium Brugge
Description
Discover the “Golden Age” of Bruges with an entrance ticket to the Historium, Bruges' most visited attraction. Travel back to one day in 1435 with Jan van Eyck's apprentice and follow his story in 7 historically-themed rooms (with airconditioning). Learn the history of the city through film, props, audioguides and an interactive exhibition. In about 1 hour you'll get another impression of Bruges and are you ready to discover the city.
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Every day
- Next available
- Wed, Oct 14
- Adult (ages 18–64)
- $24
- Senior (ages 65+)
- $19
- Youth (ages 13–17)
- $19
- Child (ages 5–12)
- $15
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 13.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Historium Brugge
In the Historium Story we take you on a time trip to medieval Bruges. Let yourself be swept up in a wonderful love story while walking through seven historical themed rooms – magnificent medieval backdrops, with film, music and special effects. Using an audio guide you will hear everything about the Golden Age of Bruges and imagine yourself back in the time of Jan van Eyck. The Historium is located on the Market Square, where the Waterhalle used to be. This was the central warehouse for the shipping industry in the thriving trading city. The location has been reconstructed in the attraction and gives your visit an extra dimension.
The Markt
Overlook the Market Square from the Historium's panoramic terrace.
What's included
Included
Historium Story
Audio guide (available in NL, FR, EN, DE, ES, IT, PT, RU, ZH or JA)
Historium Exhibition
Not included
Historium Virtual Reality
Historium Tower
Food or drinks
Parking
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
3.5
99 reviews
How it compares in Bruges
- No. 30 by number of reviews among 327 tours in Bruges
- Starting price $24 is 69% below the typical $76 for tours of similar length in Bruges
Excurgo comparison of 327 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- In the interests of safety and hygiene, pets are not allowed in the Historium.
- Minimum age is 5 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- One wheelchair is available for use at the Historium Ticket Office, free of charge
- Not recommended for people who suffer from claustrophobia. If you still want to visit, it is recommended that you speak to the person in charge at the Historium Ticket Office first
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Historium Story Ticket take?
Historium Story Ticket lasts about 1 hour. The itinerary has 2 stops.
How much does Historium Story Ticket cost?
Prices start at $24 per person for this Bruges experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does Historium Story Ticket run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day.
How much does Historium Story Ticket cost for children?
Children aged 5–12 pay from $15, adults from $24.
Can I cancel Historium Story Ticket for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
What languages is Historium Story Ticket offered in?
The experience is available in DE, DE, RU, RU, PT, CMN, CMN, JA, JA, EN, EN, IT, IT, FR, FR, ES, ES, NL, NL.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 15 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Minimum age is 5 years. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible One wheelchair is available for use at the Historium Ticket Office, free of charge
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Historium Story Ticket worth it?
Travellers rate it 3.5 out of 5 across 99 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Historium Brugge.
Reviews(99)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
D
Not a lot of History
P
Excellent approach to discover the history of Bruges.
1st visit to absolutely do when you arrive in Bruges, to better understand everything you will see afterwards. Very fun and educational.
Operator response
Merci beaucoup pour votre belle recommandation ! Nous sommes ravis que l’Historium vous ait permis de mieux comprendre l’histoire de Bruges avant de partir à la découverte de la ville. C’est exactement l’expérience que nous souhaitons offrir : une introduction ludique et accessible au riche passé de Bruges. Au plaisir de vous accueillir à nouveau !
E
So enjoyed
Fantastic journey made in time. Learned a lot but mostly enjoyed and culture / history done. Very fascinating and accessible building.
Operator response
Fijn om te lezen dat je zo genoten hebt van je tijdreis in het Historium! We zijn blij dat je niet alleen veel hebt bijgeleerd, maar vooral ook de geschiedenis en cultuur op een boeiende manier hebt kunnen beleven. Steeds welkom voor een volgend bezoek!
S
Surprisingly fun
We actually had other plans but then we walked in here to have a look and decided to do this tour of this building and thought this was very nice and nice done
Operator response
Hartelijk dank voor uw fijne review. Wat leuk om te lezen dat u onverwacht bij ons binnenliep en uiteindelijk besloot de rondleiding te doen. We zijn blij dat u het gebouw en de beleving mooi en leuk vond. Steeds welkom voor een volgend - al dan niet gepland - bezoek!
N
Only for children
Reminded me of a Disneyland type experience. No history, love story. Really for families with young children. Not interesting for teens or adults.
Operator response
We’re sorry to hear that the Historium Story did not match your expectations. The experience is designed as an immersive story that brings medieval Bruges to life in an accessible and atmospheric way. Many families enjoy this format, but we understand that visitors looking for a more traditional or in-depth historical museum experience may experience it differently. We appreciate your honest comments and will take them into account as we continue to improve how we communicate the nature of the experience to future visitors.
R
Nice but to fast
The Animations are nice, but the story is more like an b-movie. the "museum" to small and some "doityourself" terminals out of order.
Operator response
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're pleased to hear you enjoyed the animations. We're sorry that the story and exhibition did not fully meet your expectations. Our aim is to present the history of medieval Bruges through an immersive storytelling experience, which may not appeal equally to every visitor. We also apologize for the interactive elements that were out of order during your visit. We continuously work to maintain and improve our exhibition, and your comments are appreciated.
C
Disappointment with repair
The Historium Brugge has a format that you may like more or less, but you generally know what you’re going to from the beginning. In our case, the experience did not start well: while we were preparing the audio guide for a young child, they started the group without warning and completely uncoordinated us. From there, the audio did not match the rooms and it was difficult to follow the story, without the possibility of correcting it. I think the system has little room for adjustment once inside, which means that if something fails, the experience suffers a lot. That said, after commenting on what happened, the staff responded correctly and returned 80% of the amount, which is to be appreciated and compensated in part for the situation.
Operator response
Lamentamos leer que la visita no transcurrió del todo como debería. Al inicio, se proporciona la audioguía y se solicita comprobar brevemente que todo funcione correctamente. El comienzo de la visita se anuncia mediante la audioguía y, además, con efectos de luz. Quizás mi compañero actuó con demasiada prisa, lo que provocó que el sonido no fuera del todo correcto. Esperamos poder recibirle en otra ocasión para que disfrute de una visita adecuada.
M
Claustrophobic and dark
This was just bearable. The best part was getting back out into the light and looking out from the balcony. It’s a pretty claustrophobic experience going into one dark room after another without any host to guide you. Why does it all have to be so dark (I guess because of so many screens) - in my opinion self defeating.. The story is pretty unengaging and the narration is too long and can bore the socks off you. There are no windows and the doors close behind you. It felt more like a spooky ride you had to walk/climb through. A human guide would make it far better. Ditch the headphones and have a person talk you through in a couple of languages. Nobody would mind a bit if repetitiveness as long as the spiel is to the point.
Operator response
Thank you for this review, and we're sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your visit... We're not your average museum, but an immersive experience where we aim to bring the Middle Ages back to life. In the Story, you follow the story of Jan van Eyck's apprentice Jacob through seven themed rooms. Some rooms are slightly darker than others, but this also depends on the time of day, which suits the setting of the scene. Some scenes have more light because they take place during the day, while others are set early in the morning or (late) in the evening when it's dark. This also translates into a dark room. We deliberately chose this accessible design, allowing visitors to easily move on and experience the visit in their own language—we offer no fewer than 11 languages! We're sorry to hear you found the visit too long and boring, as we often hear the opposite. However, we deliberately chose not to make it too long (but also not too short). Finally, I would like to add that at the beginning of the Story we warn that the visit is less suitable for people with claustrophobia, but I will pass it on internally whether we should emphasize this more.
P
Amazing!!
Very nice experience!! Is well put together with the videos that are incorporated into the decor, as if you are concerned with it. Very interesting and clearly explained about a piece of the medieval history of Bruges. Highly recommended and a nice relaxing activity for young and old.
Operator response
Bedankt voor deze leuke review en fijn om te lezen dat jullie van het volledige bezoek genoten hebben. Steeds welkom voor een volgend bezoek!
A
A must-do!
Absolutely loved this experience. What an amazing way of showing your city’s history! Would recommend this to just about anyone!
Operator response
Thank you for this lovely review and we're glad to read that you all enjoyed your visit! Always welcome for a next visit!
Compare similar tours in Bruges
- Lowest price: Salvador Dalí Exhibition in Bruges Admission Ticket — $11
- Best rated: Bruges: Chocolate Workshop at Choco-Story — 4.7 (111 reviews)
- Shortest: Historium Virtual Reality Ticket — 10 min
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Historium Story Ticket | 1 hour | 3.5 (99) | $24 | |
 Historium Story + VR Ticket | 1h 15min | 4.3 (393) | $30 | View |
 Historium Virtual Reality Ticket | 10 min | 3.9 (17) | $14 | View |
 Bruges Beer Experience Entrance Ticket | 1 hour | 4.2 (191) | $16 | View |
 Ticket to Diamond Museum in Bruges | 40 min–1h 10min | 4.5 (19) | $17 | View |
 Salvador Dalí Exhibition in Bruges Admission Ticket | 15 min–2h | 3.4 (123) | $11 | View |
 Bruges: Chocolate Workshop at Choco-Story | 1 hour | 4.7 (111) | $51 | View |
from$24
3.5(99) Free cancellation