Queen Mathilde of the Belgians has visited Bruges, one of the most popular tourist destinations in her country, as it begins to open up again following closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Queen Mathilde heard about the impact lockdown has had and how organisations in the city plan to rebuild in the coming months.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Belgian queen spent time at some of the best known destinations in the city. She visited the Groeningemuseum where exhibits cover six hundred years of art. Queen Mathilde was given a tour of a special exhibition celebrating the work of Jan van Eyck which had been the museum’s main focus this year. Van Eyck 2020 was just getting under way when the museum, like galleries across Belgium, had to close because of the coronavirus pandemic. Mathilde, wearing a face mask, was told about measures put in place to bring visitors back while stopping any further spread of the virus.
From there, the Queen of the Belgians walked through the pretty Arentshof area to reach the Gruuthusemuseum. Mathilde was shown the result of restoration work which has been going on for several years as well as the exhibitions.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe day ended with a chat with representatives from the hospitality sector. Queen Mathilde took coffee with them at a recently reopened terrace cafe and heard about the challenges they’ve faced as their business was curtailed by the pandemic.
Bruges museums are open for business again but visitors must book in advance. More information can be found on the official website.